Pretoria – The child of a police officer who died in the line of duty in 2012 has graduated with 10 distinctions.
Police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Katlego Mogale, said 22-year-old Godfrey Monene graduated with a National Diploma in Journalism from Rosebank College after enduring almost insurmountable challenges after the death of his father who was a warrant officer in the SA Police Service.
Monene was able to achieve his diploma with the financial support of the South African Police Service Education Trust (SAPSET), which started assisting him when he was still in Grade 12.
"The journey has been very difficult since I lost my father, but I know that wherever he is, he is proud of me and my achievement,” said Monene.
"I managed to pull through since 2015 with the help of a study group of hard-working, dedicated students. I hardly slept. My mother used to fight with me to sleep, including me nearly being hospitalised due to a lack of sleep," said Godfrey.
The CEO of the SAPSET, Catherine Hendricks, who joined the Monene family to witness and celebrate one of the education trust's own writing a successful story for himself and the trust, said that taking care of deceased members' children was one of the SAPS's key intervention mechanisms.
"By giving opportunities to the children of our fallen heroes and heroines to educate themselves, the SAPS leads them to a bright future, which would have made their parents proud. We cannot forget our fallen members, because they are a part of us. Their children are our children," said Hendricks.
SAPSET was established in 2010 and its mandate is to look after the educational interests of the children of the deceased members of the police when applicable criteria are met.
It is a non-profit organisation under the leadership of a board of trustees and an executive committee and is chaired by the Deputy National Commissioner of Human Resource Management, Lieutenant-General Bonang Mgwenya.
Mogale said the trust was funded through donations and an appeal was made to the business community, individuals and other interested parties to support this noble cause in memory of police colleagues who had died in pursuit of a safer society.
Since its inception, the trust has assisted 455 beneficiaries, from Grade RR to tertiary level. These learners have enrolled for studies at a number of universities, TVET institutions and private colleges across the country.
To date, the SAPSET has supported 93 tertiary and matric students, of which 16 had successfully completed their studies.