By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Deputy President Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile paid tribute to SAPS officers who lost their lives in the line of duty at the annual commemoration held at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.
The event took place at the SAPS Memorial Site located at the Union Buildings.
This year’s commemoration honoured 27 members of the SAPS who have fallen in the line of duty between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025.
Mashatile delivered the keynote address at the sombre ceremony “to remember 27 police officers who lost their lives in the line of duty during the 2024/2025 financial year”.
In attendance were the police top brass, including Acting Minister of Police, Professor Firoz Cachalia and National Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola and their subordinates.
The names of these fallen heroes are engraved on a plaque at the SAPS Memorial Site.
“Each year we commemorate this event, my heart is weighed down with sorrow, thinking about the child who has lost a parent, the spouse who has lost a husband or wife, and a brother or sister who has lost a sibling, said Mashatile.
“To the children of our fallen officers, your pain is our pain. Please be aware that your parents died as heroes and heroines, and their sacrifices are acknowledged by the whole country.
“To the colleagues, the men and women of the SAPS who stood shoulder to shoulder with these officers, we recognise your pain. You have lost teammates, mentors, and friends. We honour your courage to return to duty, despite the risks you face every day.
“Last year, we mourned 39 of their colleagues. Together, that brings the devastating figure of 66 police officers killed in just two years. Sixty-six lives cut short while protecting our democracy, our communities, and our freedom. These deaths have ruthlessly torn apart 66 families.”
Among the 27 was Const Boikokobetso Retlotlisitswe Sonopo, 26, who had barely one year of service, and whom Mashatile described as a young man full of promise.
Sonopo was killed while on patrol in Mount Fletcher in the Eastern Cape on June 28 last year and robbed of his weapon and uniform.
Lt-Col Pieter Pretorius, 59, a seasoned investigator stationed at the Ermelo vehicle crime investigation unit in Mpumalanga, was killed just a year before his retirement, when he was ambushed and gunned down on January 16 while returning from lunch.
Mashatile said attacking a police officer was an attack on the state itself and would be met with the full might of the law.
He said the rate of criminality, especially from organised crime syndicates, was a major concern.
Mashatile pledged the government support to SAPS, saying: “We are intensifying efforts to ensure your safety and to equip you adequately for the fight against crime. We are resourcing specialised units, investing in advanced technology, strengthening intelligence, and tightening laws to deal decisively with those who target police officers.”
Cachalia, described the fallen officers as brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving in the line of duty in the last financial year.
He announced that September would be observed as Police Safety Month, during which awareness would be raised on safety measures for officers performing their duties.
Watch live in the video below:
Video Courtesy of SAPS.