Thirty-six names of South African heroes who died in the line of duty were added to this year’s wreath-laying ceremony.
Western Cape, South Africa (07 August 2022) – A wreath-laying ceremony was attended by relatives of some of the heroes who have died in the line of duty and during the COVID-19 pandemic on Saturday, 6 August 2022.
The City of Cape Town’s annual Remembrance Day service is held in honour of fallen staff members across the enforcement and emergency services.
“Every day, the courageous women and men of the City of Cape Town’s Metro Police Department, Law Enforcement, Traffic Services and Fire Services put on their uniforms and badges, and go out to protect our communities and us in every part of the city,” said Cape Town Mayor, Geordin Hill-Lewis.
“When they leave home, they hope to return safely to their families and children.”
“But they also know that they will face danger in their work and that sometimes their duty calls on them to place themselves in harm’s way.”
“Today, we honour those selfless public servants, and we express our profound gratitude to each one of them. Today we pay solemn tribute to those who did not return from their shifts – those who gave their lives in service of the residents of Cape Town.”
The inaugural event was hosted in 2017 when the Safety and Security Directorate’s memorial wall at the Cape Town Civic Centre was first unveiled.
The memorial features five silhouettes representing the departments within the Safety and Security Directorate: Metro Police, Traffic Services, Law Enforcement, the Fire and Rescue Service, and Disaster Risk Management – along with a list of names of those in whose memory it has been erected.
It contains the names of 36 staff members who have died in the line of duty and 26 who succumbed to COVID-19.
“We have thousands of staff members who devote themselves to the safety of others, day after day, often under very difficult circumstances. The service members we have lost in the line of duty bears testament to the risks that our staff face and take in the interest of public safety. The installation of the memorial wall and the annual Remembrance Service are tokens of our deep appreciation for the men and women who don the uniform, in spite of the risks, and to ensure that we never forget the sacrifices made by those who died in service of Cape Town.
“We owe them an enormous debt of gratitude for their commitment and dedication. To their loved ones, and to us as colleagues, many of whom are still struggling with the loss, I want to ask that we keep honouring their legacy,” said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.
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