On the solemn occasion of SAPS National Commemoration Day on Sunday, 3 September 2023, President Cyril Ramaphosa stood before a crowd gathered at the Union Buildings in Pretoria and addressed a growing concern: the rising number of police officers losing their lives in the line of duty in South Africa.

This poignant event, held on the first Sunday of every September, serves as a tribute to those who have paid the ultimate price while safeguarding the nation.

President Ramaphosa lamented:“Deadly attacks on police officers are once more on the rise. The increase in the killings of police officers, whether on or off duty, demonstrates the level of desperation of criminals to remove any obstacle that is in the way of their criminal intent. Attacks on police officers must come to an end. Theirs is a noble duty, a duty of ensuring that all people in South Africa are safe and that they feel safe.”

President Cyril Ramaphosa pays tribute to police officers and reservists who died in the line of duty over the past year. He was speaking at the annual National SAPS Commemoration Day at the Union Buildings, Pretoria on 3 September 2023. (Photo: Twitter / @SAPoliceService)

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In the 2022/2023 financial year, at least 34 dedicated members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) made the ultimate sacrifice while serving and protecting their communities.

The names of the 34 police officers killed in the past year have been engraved on the Memorial Wall at the Union Buildings, forever symbolising their invaluable contributions to the ongoing fight against crime and serving as a lasting reminder of their brave efforts to safeguard South Africa’s communities.

#sapsHQ The names of the 34 patriotic police officers who died in the line of duty in the 2022/2023 financial year will be engraved on the Memorial Wall at the Union Buildings to symbolise their invaluable contributions to the fight against crime — an everlasting reminder of… pic.twitter.com/0FPkuqjjPj

— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) September 3, 2023

The previous year, 33 SAPS members were killed in the line of duty.

Indicative of this upward trend, statistics released by Police Minister Bheki Cele in August revealed that over just three months, between April and June 2023, a total of 31 officers were killed.

Ramaphosa shared a troubling statistic during his address, stating: “A total of 488 suspects have been arrested for the death of police officers since 2018. Through diligent and investigative work, nine convicted police killers were handed down nine life sentences, totalling a sum of 158 years’ imprisonment. We must continue to arrest and prosecute and get convictions for those who undermine the authority of the state.”

He added: “The members that we are remembering here were spouses, husbands, wives, parents, sons, daughters, brothers, and sisters … and more. Although the convictions of these criminals can never bring them back, it will comfort their loved ones knowing that justice has been served.”

The SAPS National Commemoration Day came just 48 hours after a dramatic shootout in Limpopo, where suspected robbers engaged in a firefight with police at a double-storey house in Makhado. This tragic incident resulted in the deaths of 18 criminal suspects and the injury of a police officer.

Families gather to honour the lives of those who died in the line of duty. (Photo: Twitter / @SAPoliceService)

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Commenting on the inherent dangers police officers face, President Ramaphosa stressed the importance of their safety. He urged the Police Ministry to prioritise the wellbeing of law enforcement personnel in all aspects – physically, mentally, socially, and psychologically. 

He also called on communities to denounce police killings, emphasising that the lives of police officers should be valued not just by their colleagues but also by everyone in South Africa. 

“Police are there to protect communities and their properties, and building trust, confidence and consultation between police and communities is paramount.”

However, the relationship between the police and the community remains strained, with trust in the SAPS currently at its lowest point since the late 1990s, as reported by the Institute for Security Studies. 

Recent incidents, such as eight VIP Protection Unit officers caught on camera assaulting motorists along the N1 freeway in Gauteng, highlight the urgent need for reforms and rebuilding trust in South African law enforcement agencies. DM