| 2024/08/13 |
|
Media Statement PRETORIA – The South African Police Service (SAPS) 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 2023 to March 2024. As a build up to the National Commemoration Day that will be held at the Union Buildings on 01 September 2024, the SAPS will honour 39 members who died during this period. Today, we pay tribute and honour our fallen hero, the late Warrant Officer Cornelius Johannes Du Rand who died on 09 June 2023. The member was attached to the Villiers police station as a detective commander and had 29 years of service in the organisation at the time of his passing. The member was off-duty when he heard reports of a hijacked truck. He immediately placed himself on duty and traced the suspects. He was fatally shot while he was tracing this hijacked truck on the gravel road between Villiers and Standerton. Police arrested two suspects for the murder of Warrant Officer Du Rand and the duo have already appeared in the Frankfort Magistrates’ Court facing charges of murder and truck hijacking. He leaves his wife and had no children at the time of his passing Warrant Officer Du Rand’s name and thirty eight others will be engraved on the SAPS memorial wall at the Union Buildings on the 1st of September 2024, as a symbol of gratitude from the nation for the sacrifices he made in serving and protecting the people of this country until his last breath. To Warrant Officer Du Rand, the SAPS flag does not fly because the wind blows it: it is flying with the last breath of every police officer who died defending it. May your soul continue to rest in peace. Ends
Enquiries:
X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/SAPoliceService |
|
|
| Additional content: |
|
|
