Covid-19 claims life of police investigator

Potchefstroom Police’s family violence, child protection and sexual offences division’s (FCS) investigating officer, Warrant Officer(W/O) Pule Abram Totse (52), sadly succumbed to the coronavirus (Covid-19) on Saturday, 15 August.

According to Florence Masechaba Adams, Totse’s younger sister, he tested positive for Covid-19 on 17 July and was in self-isolation for ten days. Pule’s condition had improved, but there were days he coughed persistently and there were times he didn’t.

This worried him and his family, so he decided to visit a private medical facility on 14 August. He was treated, but the doctor asked him to come in again on Monday, 17 August, to get X-rays to determine the reason for the coughing. The doctor discharged him later that day.
Sadly, he passed away the next day. Florence was in Welkom when she received the call that her brother has passed.

“I’m heartbroken. He was my father, my brother; he was everything to me,” said Florence.
His mother, Nono Aletta Totse (64), was distraught. She and her son lived together and he took good care of her.

Florence says the Totse family and community of Thabeng have lost a great man. She describes her brother as a loving, caring man who was passionate about people, especially children. “Whenever he was home or in the street, children would call out ‘Papa Touzy! Papa Touzy!’”. Totse always took care of those around him.

The family says he was a humble man who always catered to the community, especially unemployed youth.
His friend of over 15 years, Sello Tshehle, says he was in shock after hearing of his friend’s passing. “I couldn’t believe it; seeing him lying there. I’m not okay,” he said.

W/O Totse was born and bred in Potchefstroom and served the South African Police Service for about 27 years.
One of the things Sello admired about Totse was his passion for his work. The officer would be off-duty but, if he got a tip-off about a case, he would attend to it and investigate it.

According to Colonel Adéle Myburgh, the police spokesperson, Totse always volunteered to attend to other officials’ cases if they were on leave. He had a positive influence on the officials within their unit and had good relationships with other stakeholders.

In 2013/2014, W/O Totse won the award for the best detective employee of the year at the SAPS Excellence Awards. He was selected as the second-best investigating officer for the year 2013/2014 FCS nationally. During that financial year, 60 arrests were made and he achieved at least 11 convictions.

He was described as a leader who guided those under his leadership. W/O Totse was dedicated and committed to his work and would work on standby without any remuneration or rest days.

The family wishes those were touched by Totse to follow in his footsteps, to lead with love and peace and show humanity towards one another. W/O Totse was laid to rest on Friday, 21 July.