The South African Police Service (SAPS) in North West will hold a Commemoration Service on Sunday (18 September) to honour members who died in the line of duty during the 2014/2015 financial year at the Westpol Square Building in Potchefstroom.
The service will be attended by the MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management in North West, Mpho Motlhabane, the Acting National Police Commissioner, JK Phahlane, families of the deceased members and the broader community through the Community Police Forum (CPF).
Police spokesperson, Sabata Makgwabane, was not able to tell Courant how many police officers were killed in the line of duty as that will only be revealed at the event but he mentioned that several police officers will be especially honoured.
“The members that we are commemorating include Constable Mokotedi, who was shot and killed last year in Mooinooi, at one of the malls there. Although September is Heritage month, but for the South African Police Service it’s also Police Safety Month, wherein the management of SAPS have asked to ensure that members are safe and also that members are taking precautionary measures to prevent themselves from possible attacks.”
Makgwabane says while the commemoration ceremony coincides with their Police Safety campaign, the police are constantly “working with the members of the community to try and curb or in terms of curbing police killings that are happening at the moment.”
Moeketsi Mogotsi/Courant News
