39 police members who died in the line of duty to be honoured on Commemoration Day
The late ivory Park police Constable Maphoro and Sergeant Kutu are among the police members who will be honoured.
The South African Police Service will host its annual Commemoration Day to honour and pay tribute to women and men in blue who died in the line of duty between April last year to March this year.
On this important day, which will be held at the Union Buildings on September 1, the police will honour 39 members who died during this period.
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Police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said they will also pay tribute to one of the local fallen heroes, the late Constable Mabusha Marven Maphoro who died on November 17 last year. The 38-year-old member was attached to the Ivory Park police station.
On November 17, Maphoro was fatally shot along with his crew while attending to an ATM bombing at a filling station in Tembisa.
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“Upon arrival at the crime scene, they were met with gunfire from the heavily armed group of suspects who had robbed the ATM of an undisclosed amount of money,” Mathe explained.
“Constable Maphoro was fatally shot. He was declared deceased on the scene.”
He left behind his wife and five children, the youngest being seven years old at the time of their father’s passing.
Sergeant Malesela Abel Kutu, who was shot and killed while responding to an attempted hijacking incident in October last year in Ebony Park, is also among those who will be remembered. He was also stationed at Ivory Park Police Station.
Constable Maphoro and Sergeant Kutu’s names, along with 37 others, will be engraved on the police memorial wall at the Union Buildings as a symbol of gratitude from the nation for the sacrifice they made in serving and protecting the people of this country until their last breath.
“To Constable Maphoro: the SAPS flag does not fly because the wind blows it, it flies with the last breath of every police officer who died defending it. May your souls continue to rest in peace,” concluded Mathe.
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