WHILE we would all like to believe our lives have made a worthy, noticeable contribution to improving our communities, very rarely is this the case.
Generally, our circle of influence is limited.
Not so with Dave Whittaker, sadly lost to the region after suffering a fatal heart attack early Monday morning.
Dave’s name is synonymous with the fight against crime – and he was the ‘go to’ man for any person in crisis, specifically those who were victims of criminals.
Having risen to the rank of colonel, as head of the Police Reservists in Empangeni, Dave not only put his own life on the line for his community, but was also a focal point for drawing others into the realm of protecting civilians from crime.
Dave literally patrolled the streets in an attempt to pre-empt crime and his telephone number, shared liberally, was used at all hours of the day and night.
He was regularly in demand as a guest speaker or instructor at Community Policing Forums and schools, sharing his vast knowledge of crime prevention, personal protection and home target-hardening tips.
No shrinking violet, Dave was outspoken against the use of violence and was a valuable asset in negotiating the peaceful resolution of conflicts.
Apart from his latter, formal position as head of Zululand Business Against Crime, all of Dave’s energy and expertise was gifted to the community.
In addition to giving up many nights and weekends chairing and attending anti-crime meetings, he was a volunteer fireman, extremely active in the Zululand Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and supported the Empangeni SPCA.
The Zululand Observer, who enjoyed almost daily contact with Whittaker on a wide cross section of issues, joins the community in offering condolences to his family and friends.
A good man, gone too soon.
