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"contents": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most police officials who lost their lives between April 2023 and March 2024 died at the hands of criminals. This was revealed during the National Commemoration Day to honour officers who died in the line of duty, held at the Union Buildings on Sunday, 1 September 2024. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Addressing the ceremony, Vice-President Paul Mashatile honoured the 39 fallen heroes, 30 of whom died due to criminality. Mashatile stressed the need for police officers to engage in self-defence when confronted by armed criminals.</span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2343653\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Nonku-SAPS-inset.jpg\" alt=\"fallen saps members\" width=\"1440\" height=\"899\" /> <em>From left, Correctional Services Minister Pieter Groenewald, Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, Vice-President Paul Mashatile and National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola at the memorial ceremony on 1 September 2024. (Photo: Siyabulela Duda GCIS)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Police officers must not die with their service firearms [in] their holsters when criminals refuse to surrender and start firing at police. When a shootout ensues between police and criminals, police have a duty to protect their lives, as well as those of their colleagues and all community members,” Mashatile said.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The causes of the 39 deaths varied, reflecting the diverse and often dangerous circumstances in which SAPS members work. Of the slain 39 cops, three were females, 36 males.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Twenty-nine were shot and killed; one was stabbed and killed; five died in vehicle accidents; two were hit by blunt objects; one was burnt and succumbed to their injuries. One fell on an embankment and succumbed to their injuries. </span>\r\n\r\n<b>Read more: </b><a href=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-08-30-critical-we-do-more-to-support-the-police-saps-to-hold-ceremony-to-honour-officers-killed-in-the-line-of-duty/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">‘Critical we do more to support the police’ – SAPS to hold ceremony to honour officers killed in the line of duty</span></a>\r\n<h4><b>Family testimonials </b></h4>\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2343118\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/WhatsApp-Image-2024-09-01-at-12.27.13-1-scaled.jpeg\" alt=\"fallen saps members bereaved families\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1703\" /> <em>Bereaved families at the Union Buildings in Pretoria for the commemoration of fallen police members on 1 September 2024. (Photo: Siyabulela Duda GCIS)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The families of the deceased were visibly emotional throughout the proceedings. Some told of how they had been starting to heal, but the event reopened the wounds of their loss.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Johanna Maja, the widow of Sergeant Leka Philip Maja, who was killed while responding to a cash-in-transit heist in Pretoria, recalled the tragic day in 2023 when her husband was shot and killed.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“He was my everything. Life without him is incredibly difficult. I do not want to lie. [The criminals] took so much away from me and the kids. I have to live with the pain that he is no more, but I have to stay strong for the sake of my children,” she told Daily Maverick.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“I’ve had to be both mother and father to them, but I know he is resting in peace. He will always be a hero to me and my family.”</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In July 2023, Maureen Nkuna lost her husband, Captain Nkuna, who was shot while responding to a domestic violence case in Vhembe, Limpopo. The suspect had allegedly threatened to set fire to a woman and child in their home.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“His death still hurts deeply, but I take solace in knowing he saved that woman and child, even though it cost him his life,” she said.</span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2343119\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/WhatsApp-Image-2024-09-01-at-12.27.13-scaled.jpeg\" alt=\"fallen saps members bereaved families\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1703\" /> <em>Bereaved families at the Union Buildings in Pretoria for the commemoration of fallen police members on 1 September 2024. (Photo: Siyabulela Duda GCIS)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nkuna left behind his wife and two children. Though Maureen, also a member of the SAPS, has a salary to support her family, she said, “Life will never be the same again.”</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Regarding the commemoration, she said, “I wouldn’t say that [I’m] happy or sad, perhaps I’m just numb.”</span>\r\n<h4><b>The fallen</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sergeant Sinoxolo Tatani-Nkomo (36) was among those who were honoured. She was killed while waiting for help when the state vehicle she was travelling in had a punctured tyre in the Eastern Cape. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">She had served the SAPS for 14 years. She left behind her husband and three children, including a toddler. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sergeant Sibongiseni Khoza (37) was killed while responding to a complaint about negligent handling of a firearm in Masomonco Village, in KZN. Upon the police’s arrival, an unknown suspect opened fire and Khoza sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the head. He succumbed to the injury at the scene.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Captain Bulelani Mavundlela (57) was attached to the commercial crime investigation unit in the Eastern Cape before his murder in March 2024. At the time of his death, he was investigating several high-profile cases including that of a lawyer who had been accused of defrauding the Road Accident Fund (RAF). He was shot outside his residential home.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He left behind his wife and eight children. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sergeant Modisenyane Morake (37) was killed while manning an active accident scene on the N1 road in Free State. He was among the officials who attended the scene to prevent further loss of life. They had cordoned off the area but a truck failed to stop and struck him, causing severe injuries. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Modisenyane left behind five children. The youngest was just a month old.</span>\r\n<h4><b>Decent wages</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mashatile urged Police Minister Senzo Mchunu to do more than just care for the police and their families after they were gone, further suggesting that the government ought to incentivise their employment based on the level of danger they faced every day. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“In reality, there are no incentives that can fully compensate for the value of life… We must make every effort to provide individuals with what they rightfully deserve, starting with decent wages.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“On behalf of our country and the South African government, we thank the 39 fallen heroes and heroines posthumously for their bravery and service to their country, which they rendered diligently until they met their untimely demise,” Mashatile said.</span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2343115\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/WhatsApp-Image-2024-09-01-at-12.24.02-scaled.jpeg\" alt=\"fallen saps members mchunu\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1536\" /> <em>Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu lays a wreath at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on 1 September 2024. (Photo: Siyabulela Duda GCIS)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mchunu said the police service was exploring the possibility of assisting families to file civil claims against those responsible for the murder of police officers.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“This will soon become a reality. The initiative aims to ensure that justice is served not just through criminal proceedings, but also by holding perpetrators financially accountable for the pain and loss they would have caused.” </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“In response to the growing concerns about the wellbeing of our officers, we will be establishing a task team focused on wellness-related issues. The team will be dedicated to addressing both the physical and mental health needs of our police service, ensuring that our programmes are effective and that every officer receives the support they need to serve our communities effectively and safely,” Mchunu said. </span><b>DM</b>",
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"description": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most police officials who lost their lives between April 2023 and March 2024 died at the hands of criminals. This was revealed during the National Commemoration Day to honour officers who died in the line of duty, held at the Union Buildings on Sunday, 1 September 2024. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Addressing the ceremony, Vice-President Paul Mashatile honoured the 39 fallen heroes, 30 of whom died due to criminality. Mashatile stressed the need for police officers to engage in self-defence when confronted by armed criminals.</span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2343653\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1440\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2343653\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Nonku-SAPS-inset.jpg\" alt=\"fallen saps members\" width=\"1440\" height=\"899\" /> <em>From left, Correctional Services Minister Pieter Groenewald, Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, Vice-President Paul Mashatile and National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola at the memorial ceremony on 1 September 2024. (Photo: Siyabulela Duda GCIS)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Police officers must not die with their service firearms [in] their holsters when criminals refuse to surrender and start firing at police. When a shootout ensues between police and criminals, police have a duty to protect their lives, as well as those of their colleagues and all community members,” Mashatile said.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The causes of the 39 deaths varied, reflecting the diverse and often dangerous circumstances in which SAPS members work. Of the slain 39 cops, three were females, 36 males.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Twenty-nine were shot and killed; one was stabbed and killed; five died in vehicle accidents; two were hit by blunt objects; one was burnt and succumbed to their injuries. One fell on an embankment and succumbed to their injuries. </span>\r\n\r\n<b>Read more: </b><a href=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-08-30-critical-we-do-more-to-support-the-police-saps-to-hold-ceremony-to-honour-officers-killed-in-the-line-of-duty/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">‘Critical we do more to support the police’ – SAPS to hold ceremony to honour officers killed in the line of duty</span></a>\r\n<h4><b>Family testimonials </b></h4>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2343118\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"2560\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2343118\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/WhatsApp-Image-2024-09-01-at-12.27.13-1-scaled.jpeg\" alt=\"fallen saps members bereaved families\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1703\" /> <em>Bereaved families at the Union Buildings in Pretoria for the commemoration of fallen police members on 1 September 2024. (Photo: Siyabulela Duda GCIS)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The families of the deceased were visibly emotional throughout the proceedings. Some told of how they had been starting to heal, but the event reopened the wounds of their loss.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Johanna Maja, the widow of Sergeant Leka Philip Maja, who was killed while responding to a cash-in-transit heist in Pretoria, recalled the tragic day in 2023 when her husband was shot and killed.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“He was my everything. Life without him is incredibly difficult. I do not want to lie. [The criminals] took so much away from me and the kids. I have to live with the pain that he is no more, but I have to stay strong for the sake of my children,” she told Daily Maverick.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“I’ve had to be both mother and father to them, but I know he is resting in peace. He will always be a hero to me and my family.”</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In July 2023, Maureen Nkuna lost her husband, Captain Nkuna, who was shot while responding to a domestic violence case in Vhembe, Limpopo. The suspect had allegedly threatened to set fire to a woman and child in their home.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“His death still hurts deeply, but I take solace in knowing he saved that woman and child, even though it cost him his life,” she said.</span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2343119\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"2560\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2343119\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/WhatsApp-Image-2024-09-01-at-12.27.13-scaled.jpeg\" alt=\"fallen saps members bereaved families\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1703\" /> <em>Bereaved families at the Union Buildings in Pretoria for the commemoration of fallen police members on 1 September 2024. (Photo: Siyabulela Duda GCIS)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nkuna left behind his wife and two children. Though Maureen, also a member of the SAPS, has a salary to support her family, she said, “Life will never be the same again.”</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Regarding the commemoration, she said, “I wouldn’t say that [I’m] happy or sad, perhaps I’m just numb.”</span>\r\n<h4><b>The fallen</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sergeant Sinoxolo Tatani-Nkomo (36) was among those who were honoured. She was killed while waiting for help when the state vehicle she was travelling in had a punctured tyre in the Eastern Cape. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">She had served the SAPS for 14 years. She left behind her husband and three children, including a toddler. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sergeant Sibongiseni Khoza (37) was killed while responding to a complaint about negligent handling of a firearm in Masomonco Village, in KZN. Upon the police’s arrival, an unknown suspect opened fire and Khoza sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the head. He succumbed to the injury at the scene.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Captain Bulelani Mavundlela (57) was attached to the commercial crime investigation unit in the Eastern Cape before his murder in March 2024. At the time of his death, he was investigating several high-profile cases including that of a lawyer who had been accused of defrauding the Road Accident Fund (RAF). He was shot outside his residential home.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He left behind his wife and eight children. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sergeant Modisenyane Morake (37) was killed while manning an active accident scene on the N1 road in Free State. He was among the officials who attended the scene to prevent further loss of life. They had cordoned off the area but a truck failed to stop and struck him, causing severe injuries. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Modisenyane left behind five children. The youngest was just a month old.</span>\r\n<h4><b>Decent wages</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mashatile urged Police Minister Senzo Mchunu to do more than just care for the police and their families after they were gone, further suggesting that the government ought to incentivise their employment based on the level of danger they faced every day. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“In reality, there are no incentives that can fully compensate for the value of life… We must make every effort to provide individuals with what they rightfully deserve, starting with decent wages.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“On behalf of our country and the South African government, we thank the 39 fallen heroes and heroines posthumously for their bravery and service to their country, which they rendered diligently until they met their untimely demise,” Mashatile said.</span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2343115\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"2560\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2343115\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/WhatsApp-Image-2024-09-01-at-12.24.02-scaled.jpeg\" alt=\"fallen saps members mchunu\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1536\" /> <em>Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu lays a wreath at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on 1 September 2024. (Photo: Siyabulela Duda GCIS)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mchunu said the police service was exploring the possibility of assisting families to file civil claims against those responsible for the murder of police officers.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“This will soon become a reality. The initiative aims to ensure that justice is served not just through criminal proceedings, but also by holding perpetrators financially accountable for the pain and loss they would have caused.” </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“In response to the growing concerns about the wellbeing of our officers, we will be establishing a task team focused on wellness-related issues. The team will be dedicated to addressing both the physical and mental health needs of our police service, ensuring that our programmes are effective and that every officer receives the support they need to serve our communities effectively and safely,” Mchunu said. </span><b>DM</b>",
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"summary": "The mood was sombre at the Union Buildings during the annual commemoration for slain police officers. The South African Police Service is exploring ways to help families file civil claims against criminals responsible for the murders of police officers.",
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"search_title": "In honouring fallen SAPS members, Mchunu promises to get cop killers into courts",
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"social_description": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most police officials who lost their lives between April 2023 and March 2024 died at the hands of criminals. This was revealed during the National Commemoration Day to ",
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From left, Correctional Services Minister Pieter Groenewald, Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, Vice-President Paul Mashatile and National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola at the memorial ceremony on 1 September 2024. (Photo: Siyabulela Duda GCIS)
Bereaved families at the Union Buildings in Pretoria for the commemoration of fallen police members on 1 September 2024. (Photo: Siyabulela Duda GCIS)
Bereaved families at the Union Buildings in Pretoria for the commemoration of fallen police members on 1 September 2024. (Photo: Siyabulela Duda GCIS)
Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu lays a wreath at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on 1 September 2024. (Photo: Siyabulela Duda GCIS)