WATCH: Old soldiers never die: moving ceremony for ex Anti-Gang Unit head

An appreciation ceremony was held for retired cop and former head of the SAPSs Anti-Gang Unit, Major-General Andre Lincoln, at the Bishop Lavis Sports Field on Sunday. It was attended by many including the SAPSs Major-General Jeremy Vearey and Nicolette Kinnear, widow of slain police detective Charl Nicole Kinnear. Picture : Phando Jikelo/African News Agency

An appreciation ceremony was held for retired cop and former head of the SAPSs Anti-Gang Unit, Major-General Andre Lincoln, at the Bishop Lavis Sports Field on Sunday. It was attended by many including the SAPSs Major-General Jeremy Vearey and Nicolette Kinnear, widow of slain police detective Charl Nicole Kinnear. Picture : Phando Jikelo/African News Agency

Published Dec 13, 2021

Share

CAPE TOWN - “Revolutionaries do not retire”.

These were the words that resonated through the ceremony held for retired cop and former head of the SAPS Anti-Gang Unit, Major-General Andre Lincoln, at the Bishop Lavis Sports Field on Sunday.

The ceremony was organised by the Bishop Lavis Community Police Forum (CPF) and other community organisations who wanted to thank Lincoln for his “unselfish contribution to his communities“.

Lincoln, seated in his wheelchair after recently having both his legs amputated due to health complications, proudly wore his Rod Bearers Motorcycle Club colours.

An avid biker and active member of the fraternity, and now president and founder of the Rod Bearers MCC strictly for law enforcement members, Lincoln retired from SAPS service at the end of October after nearly 40 years in the service.

Speaking at the ceremony, former head of detectives, Jeremy Vearey, said the two of them, who were also Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) veterans, “faced many enemies together”.

“Our whole life was about the ultimate meaning of sacrifice, death. “And once one understands that, you will understand that we made certain decisions that had very little to do with our personal welfare ... a police officer will consider that what he was doing was a revolutionary responsibility born in blood and struggle...we don’t retire from transformation and we don’t retire from the trust of our people,” said Vearey.

Lifelong friend and biking brother, Trevor Harker, said his friendship with Lincoln started when the two met in the then-Sub A grade, now grade 1, as pupils at St Johns Roman Catholic School in Kensington.

“We know each other for 54 years. We did all the usual stuff boys do while growing up, including the naughty stuff. Despite going to different high schools, we never lost touch and share many great memories,“ said Harker.

Lincoln’s daughters, Danielle Daniels and Nikki Lincoln, said they looked forward to sharing in special family occasions which their father had often missed due to work commitments.

“My sister and I have realised that we are slowly turning into our dad and when those moments caught us we would often say ‘okay Andre’.

“I cannot think of anything better than turning into my dad. He is the type of man who if you asked him for R600 and he had R700, he would give you R680.

“We prepared for the worst with my dad’s amputation operation.

“Life had so many chances to take you away from us but you always came back stronger,” said Nikki.

Lincoln, overwhelmed in response to the messages of gratitude, said he took up service to serve and protect his communities.

“We sit in a position where we have so many dysfunctional homes in our communities and we have so many fatherless homes in our community and that is part of the motivation and the passion driver for me. I want to see this change. I want to thank the communities but I also want to say:

You have not seen the back of me yet. “I have argued with many of you but those arguments have come to an end because I do not have a leg to stand on,” Lincoln joked.

Cape Times

Related Topics: