The City of Cape Town commemorated the annual Remembrance Day and honoured staff who have lost their lives in the line of duty. The annual Remembrance Day Service is held alongside a memorial wall in the Civic Centre that was first unveiled in 2017. It is celebrated to pay tribute to enforcement and emergency services staff members who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
Executive Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis stated that every name they remember represents a life of service. A person who chose a profession that asked more of them than most careers ever will.
They understood that wearing the uniform meant accepting risks that many people would never willingly face. That choice alone deserves the respect. Whether serving in Metro Police, Law Enforcement, Traffic Services, Fire & Rescue Service or Disaster Risk Management, all these men and women accepted a simple yet profound responsibility: to protect others, even when doing so placed them in harm.
Three Safety and Security Directorate staff members died in the line of duty in the past year:
- Law Enforcement Officer – Mogamat Shakeel Abrahams died in a motor vehicle accident on August 17, 2025.
- Metro Police Neighbourhood Safety Officer – Tyler Lamb died on November 07 in Kensington after falling from a roof during a scuffle with a suspect.
- Firefighter – Mario Aisley succumbed to a heart attack on duty on May 13, 2026.
- LEAP officer – Lyle Thomas too will be honoured on the memorial wall on the Concourse Level at the Civic Centre. Thomas was off duty when he came upon an accident scene and identified himself accordingly to assist SAPS. He was hit by a passing drunk driver after that shortly.
The wall will now feature the names of 51 staff members who have died in the line of duty, dating back to 1907.
Considering this, Member of the Mayoral Committee for Safety and Security – Alderman JP Smith stated that this is an opportunity for them to celebrate and honour members who passed in the line of duty. They must never lose sight of the fact that those who passed off duty also left an impact.
They were also somebody’s friend, someone’s partner, and someone’s family member. He took a moment to mention: Yonke Pakade, Luyolo Mene, Nopinki April, Gavin du Preez and Francois Slabbert.
Smith thanked all the staff for their hard work and dedication. He asked all to look out for each other, guide where they can, encourage where they need to, and help where they are required to. Because together, they are stronger as a directorate and as a team.