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15 June 2023
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The City of Cape Town remembers fallen Safety and Security staff members
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The City of Cape Town hosted its annual Remembrance Day Service for fallen Safety and Security staff members on Saturday, 10 June 2023. The service was held on the Concourse Level in the Civic Centre alongside a memorial wall first unveiled in 2017, to pay tribute to enforcement and emergency services staff members who have lost their lives in the line of duty. In 2022, the names of staff members who succumbed to COVID-19 were added to the wall. Executive Mayor, Geordin Hill-Lewis and Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith joined relatives of the fallen members for the service and wreath-laying ceremony.
Mayor Hill-Lewis said, “We reflect on the lives of the men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice while executing their duties in service of the people of this city. That word “heroes” is used very easily these days. We have sports heroes, music heroes, even celebrity heroes. And while I agree that it’s important to have role models and people we aspire to, I also think we need to reflect on what it truly means to be a hero. Real heroes are people who are admired for their qualities like bravery, selflessness, sacrifice and strength of character.”
He added, “Heroes think of the wellbeing of others before they think of themselves. They are the kind of people who would take risks and put their own lives in danger if it meant helping someone else. Heroes aren’t passive people. They don’t wait to see who else might step into the breach when help is needed. They are the ones who take that step first. They’re active people. That’s not to say they don’t have fear but their sense of duty is stronger than their fear, and they think of the danger afterwards. That’s what heroes do.”
“The men and women we are honouring today were such people. Each one of them was a hero to someone or some community and they made the greatest possible sacrifice anyone can make in executing their duties. But their heroism didn’t start that day. It started when they signed up for the task because they knew that these jobs in law enforcement or in fire and rescue services or disaster risk management come with big risks. Not everyone is prepared to take those risks, but a special few are. And we are eternally grateful to them”, said Mayor Hill-Lewis.
He continued, “There is no greater symbol of hope than the courage and humanity we see in our heroes. People who set out for work every day, hoping to return home after their shift, but knowing that their work could put them in danger. And still doing it. That’s inspirational, and it’s enough to make anyone believe in hope. I salute Cape Town’s fallen heroes. You will not be forgotten.”
During the commemoration, Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith, said “In the spirit of remembrance, I want to provide some background to today’s ceremony so that we can appreciate and understand the symbols we use to acknowledge our fallen officers and colleagues. There are five aspects of today’s ceremony that are especially important: The first is the commemorative wall. Previously the only record of these officers and the sacrifices they made was contained in various offices or meeting rooms around the City, mostly quite small and hidden from view. When I saw the memorials in other cities around the world, I knew we needed to do more to honour these fallen members of our services. Thus started a long process to design and build this memorial, which reminds every person who walks this concourse never to forget these men and women.”
“The second aspect is the two minutes of silence that we will observe later on in the ceremony. The first minute is to acknowledge members who have passed away. The second minute of silence is to acknowledge members who are currently in service in the line of duty. During these minutes of silence, we will pause to think of the courageous people whom we have lost and dedicate this moment in time to remembering them,” said Alderman Smith.
He continued, “The third aspect is the Last Call. This is a tradition started by the Fire Department where the bells, which have in time been replaced by electronic sirens at the fire stations, are rang at the start of a shift as well as when the shift has ended. The ringing bell signifies the call to deploy to a fire or special service call. The City’s Police Training Academy has expanded on this concept of ringing the bell for each of the Safety and Security Directorate’s operational services: Fire, Traffic, Law Enforcement, Metro Police, Disaster Risk Management and other departments in acknowledgement and unification of them into one directorate. As I said last year, the ringing of the bell also ties in with the Noon Day gun. In past tradition, people would observe two minutes of silence at 12 o’clock to acknowledge those who have passed away.”
“A powerful act of acknowledgement, which we uphold in the Safety and Security directorate of Cape Town, is the radio call, which will sound out to all staff across this City today and allows them all to share this moment with those here assembled.”
“Finally, bringing these things together, we have chosen to dedicate a day in the year which we call Remembrance Day so that we may jointly remember the Safety and Security staff within the City of Cape Town that have died in the line of duty as well as those that have succumbed to COVID while on duty. This last year we lost good men and women on and off duty. Each one had a story - a story of passion, determination and a desire to make a difference. They embraced the call to service, fully aware of the risks involved, yet driven by a commitment to their fellow Capetonians.”
“I call on all here to remember officers and emergency staff like Allesandro Heynes, one of our Law Enforcement officers who was lost to us last year. He did not pass on duty but his loss was strongly felt in the service. It was his vision to establish a brass band for the Safety and Security Directorate. We tried for some time but could not get things moving, as there was no policy or laws to guide this. But Allesandro was persistent, very persistent and he prevailed in the end. Sadly, he was murdered on the day when Deputy Chief Shaun Smith received notification that the band had been given the green light and before Shaun could give him the news. That band is here with us this morning,” he said.
Alderman Smith continued, “Allessandro and the various officers that did not pass in the line of duty are not commemorated on this memorial, but I want to pay tribute to them now as their deaths are remembered and felt by their families, friends and all those who worked with them:
In Law Enforcement
Nomzamo Bovu - 22 Aug 2022 - Lukeamia
Andile Qomoyi - 30 Aug 2022 - passed
Alessandro Heynes - 01 Oct 2022 - shot (by gangsters) whilst off duty
Geraldine Renier - 25 Nov 2022 – passed from cancer
Sixole Maram - 25 Jan 2023 - fatal accident
Simphiwe Ntsham - 25 Jan 2023 - fatal accident
Siphelo Magwa - 18 May 2023 - shot whilst off duty
In Fire
Firefighter Mzuphela Dakela – 03 July 2022
Senior Firefighter Andre Brown – 01 July 2022
Firefighter Lindokuhle Matroos – 29 January 2023
Station Commander David Hill – 28 May 2023
In Metro Police
Constable Brendon Engelbrecht - CCTV & CRU – 04 Sep 2022 – aged 44 - passed away in his sleep
Constable Henry Jacobs - Area North – 25 Oct 2022 – aged 51.
In the SSIU
Eric Ntshikelelo Lamani, whose death in December 2021 is from the previous year but we have not yet paid our respects here and he deserves our recognition.
“Allow me to conclude by saying that in the face of tragedy, we can find strength. In the midst of darkness, we can find hope. Today, as we remember these fallen heroes, let us ignite a spark of resilience within ourselves. Let us draw inspiration from their dedication, courage and their love for our city and its people”, concluded Alderman Smith.
Source: Media office, City of Cape Town
Mayor Hill-Lewis said, “We reflect on the lives of the men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice while executing their duties in service of the people of this city. That word “heroes” is used very easily these days. We have sports heroes, music heroes, even celebrity heroes. And while I agree that it’s important to have role models and people we aspire to, I also think we need to reflect on what it truly means to be a hero. Real heroes are people who are admired for their qualities like bravery, selflessness, sacrifice and strength of character.”
He added, “Heroes think of the wellbeing of others before they think of themselves. They are the kind of people who would take risks and put their own lives in danger if it meant helping someone else. Heroes aren’t passive people. They don’t wait to see who else might step into the breach when help is needed. They are the ones who take that step first. They’re active people. That’s not to say they don’t have fear but their sense of duty is stronger than their fear, and they think of the danger afterwards. That’s what heroes do.”
“The men and women we are honouring today were such people. Each one of them was a hero to someone or some community and they made the greatest possible sacrifice anyone can make in executing their duties. But their heroism didn’t start that day. It started when they signed up for the task because they knew that these jobs in law enforcement or in fire and rescue services or disaster risk management come with big risks. Not everyone is prepared to take those risks, but a special few are. And we are eternally grateful to them”, said Mayor Hill-Lewis.
He continued, “There is no greater symbol of hope than the courage and humanity we see in our heroes. People who set out for work every day, hoping to return home after their shift, but knowing that their work could put them in danger. And still doing it. That’s inspirational, and it’s enough to make anyone believe in hope. I salute Cape Town’s fallen heroes. You will not be forgotten.”
During the commemoration, Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith, said “In the spirit of remembrance, I want to provide some background to today’s ceremony so that we can appreciate and understand the symbols we use to acknowledge our fallen officers and colleagues. There are five aspects of today’s ceremony that are especially important: The first is the commemorative wall. Previously the only record of these officers and the sacrifices they made was contained in various offices or meeting rooms around the City, mostly quite small and hidden from view. When I saw the memorials in other cities around the world, I knew we needed to do more to honour these fallen members of our services. Thus started a long process to design and build this memorial, which reminds every person who walks this concourse never to forget these men and women.”
“The second aspect is the two minutes of silence that we will observe later on in the ceremony. The first minute is to acknowledge members who have passed away. The second minute of silence is to acknowledge members who are currently in service in the line of duty. During these minutes of silence, we will pause to think of the courageous people whom we have lost and dedicate this moment in time to remembering them,” said Alderman Smith.
He continued, “The third aspect is the Last Call. This is a tradition started by the Fire Department where the bells, which have in time been replaced by electronic sirens at the fire stations, are rang at the start of a shift as well as when the shift has ended. The ringing bell signifies the call to deploy to a fire or special service call. The City’s Police Training Academy has expanded on this concept of ringing the bell for each of the Safety and Security Directorate’s operational services: Fire, Traffic, Law Enforcement, Metro Police, Disaster Risk Management and other departments in acknowledgement and unification of them into one directorate. As I said last year, the ringing of the bell also ties in with the Noon Day gun. In past tradition, people would observe two minutes of silence at 12 o’clock to acknowledge those who have passed away.”
“A powerful act of acknowledgement, which we uphold in the Safety and Security directorate of Cape Town, is the radio call, which will sound out to all staff across this City today and allows them all to share this moment with those here assembled.”
“Finally, bringing these things together, we have chosen to dedicate a day in the year which we call Remembrance Day so that we may jointly remember the Safety and Security staff within the City of Cape Town that have died in the line of duty as well as those that have succumbed to COVID while on duty. This last year we lost good men and women on and off duty. Each one had a story - a story of passion, determination and a desire to make a difference. They embraced the call to service, fully aware of the risks involved, yet driven by a commitment to their fellow Capetonians.”
“I call on all here to remember officers and emergency staff like Allesandro Heynes, one of our Law Enforcement officers who was lost to us last year. He did not pass on duty but his loss was strongly felt in the service. It was his vision to establish a brass band for the Safety and Security Directorate. We tried for some time but could not get things moving, as there was no policy or laws to guide this. But Allesandro was persistent, very persistent and he prevailed in the end. Sadly, he was murdered on the day when Deputy Chief Shaun Smith received notification that the band had been given the green light and before Shaun could give him the news. That band is here with us this morning,” he said.
Alderman Smith continued, “Allessandro and the various officers that did not pass in the line of duty are not commemorated on this memorial, but I want to pay tribute to them now as their deaths are remembered and felt by their families, friends and all those who worked with them:
In Law Enforcement
Nomzamo Bovu - 22 Aug 2022 - Lukeamia
Andile Qomoyi - 30 Aug 2022 - passed
Alessandro Heynes - 01 Oct 2022 - shot (by gangsters) whilst off duty
Geraldine Renier - 25 Nov 2022 – passed from cancer
Sixole Maram - 25 Jan 2023 - fatal accident
Simphiwe Ntsham - 25 Jan 2023 - fatal accident
Siphelo Magwa - 18 May 2023 - shot whilst off duty
In Fire
Firefighter Mzuphela Dakela – 03 July 2022
Senior Firefighter Andre Brown – 01 July 2022
Firefighter Lindokuhle Matroos – 29 January 2023
Station Commander David Hill – 28 May 2023
In Metro Police
Constable Brendon Engelbrecht - CCTV & CRU – 04 Sep 2022 – aged 44 - passed away in his sleep
Constable Henry Jacobs - Area North – 25 Oct 2022 – aged 51.
In the SSIU
Eric Ntshikelelo Lamani, whose death in December 2021 is from the previous year but we have not yet paid our respects here and he deserves our recognition.
“Allow me to conclude by saying that in the face of tragedy, we can find strength. In the midst of darkness, we can find hope. Today, as we remember these fallen heroes, let us ignite a spark of resilience within ourselves. Let us draw inspiration from their dedication, courage and their love for our city and its people”, concluded Alderman Smith.
Source: Media office, City of Cape Town