Cape Town - Members of the police service who died in line of duty were commemorated and acknowledged through prayer in Cape Town this past weekend.
The Western Cape police, Department of Correctional Services and police band held a prayer day at Rhenish Church Ravensmead, paying tribute to officers who were killed in the line of duty during the past year.
The prayer session was in line with SAPS’s annual Commemoration Day to honour and pay tribute to men and women in blue who died while executing their duties between April 1, 2023, and March 31, 2024.
Explaining the purpose of prayer day to the congregation, Captain Bannett of the Manenberg SAPS said police officers were murdered by communities they had pledged to serve.
“It is very important to acknowledge members that have gone before us because they stood the test of time and they laid down their lives,” Bannett said.
“It is also vital to bring this up to the community; we as the SAPS are murdered and maimed by the very communities we pledge to serve.
"We tend to serve unconditionally, and we don't have any prejudices against anyone but they just kill us. Our communities are troubled and seem to have lost the foundation of all morals. The church community needs to stand up and pray.“
Bannett said the prayer service helped to acknowledge the work of women officers who are putting their lives on the line serving the communities that killed them.
“We are in the community’s lives from the start. For example, when a woman gives birth to a baby, they call the police for assistance and in most cases, you'll find that at that time that the police arrive, the baby's being born, and the police officers need to deliver that baby,” he said.
Meanwhile, speaking during the commemoration service at the Union Building in Pretoria, Police Minister Senzo Mchunu said that earlier this year the SAPS hosted a fundraiser that raised R6.6 million, which would be put into the SAPS Education Trust’s coffers so the children of the 39 police officers commemorated today could remain at school.
“The South African Police Service Education Trust exists to meet the educational requirements of the children of police officers who have died in the line of duty.
“The Trust covers all educational costs for these learners and students until they achieve their first qualification,” Mchunu said.