‘n Gedenkdiens ter nagedagtenis van SAPD- en Wetstoepasserslede wat hul lewens in die lyn van dienslewering verloor het, het op Woensdag, 22 April 2015 in die AGS-gebou plaasgevind. Die volledige program was ‘n inisiatief en projek van Gansbaai Polisiëringsforum (GPF), onder leiding van Lucille Mangiagalli, voorsitter van Gansbaai GPF. SAPD-lede, asook etlike hooggeplaasde in die SAPD en van Gansbaai, het die verrigtinge bygewoon, met die Provinsiale SAPD Orkes wat gepaste musiekitems gelewer het en lede van Gansbaai SAPD wat kooritems gelewer het.

Die Progamdirekteur was sers Mazutu, met ds Dennis Naidoo wat die openingsgebed en evangelie-boodskap gebring het. Me Mangiagalli het die verwelkoming waargeneem, waarna Kol Pete, Stasiebevelvoerder van Caledon, die Gedragskode voorgelees het. Me Mangiagalli het ook die Boodskap ter Ondersteuning, Standing in the Line of Duty, voorgelees, wat soos volg eindig: “Standing proud in the line of duty, Courage calls the brave to arms. You wear the badge that marks your heart. Standing in the line of fire for the call of duty”. Terwyl die orkes sagte en gewyde musiek gespeel het, het me Mangiagalli ‘n gebed voorgelees en Jacob Prins verhoog toe gestap om die kranslegging waar te neem. Die hoofrede is deur Brigadier Manci, Hermanus Cluster Bevelvoerder, gelewer, met kerse wat deur homself, Lt-kol Moshi en mnr Mangiagalli aangesteek is. Aanhalings uit ds Naidoo se gepaste boodskap met die tema “To stand in the Gap”, lui soos volg: “Ezekiel 22:20 - I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy ,but I found none!  

Sadly, God did not find a single individual in Israel. Each year law enforcement officers are killed in South Africa and other parts of the world, the numbers escalate all the time. So we are gathered here today to remember not only these police officers who made the ultimate sacrifice, but all men and women who put their lives on the line for our communities. Those killed were mostly in the prime of their lives, with families that are left behind to fend for themselves in an unknown future. The portrayed of this tragedy get even more darker when you hear of not only those killed in the heat of the moment, by desperate fugitives, but become victims of planned assassinations - we live in dangerous times. South Africa is not Israel, and conditions are not the same as they were then. But, it seems a similar situation existed, and someone had to stand in the gap to save the nation. Someone had to defend the weakest in the land, and restrain the strongest. Someone had to put his or her body between those who would do evil, and those who might become their victims. In Israel almost 2,700 years ago, if not more, God could not find anyone to stand in the gap. In South Africa we have police officers to protect and to serve. God looks for those who will continue to stand in the gap, who will put their lives between evil and the innocent, those who will be ‘strong and of good courage’. We need those who will stand in the gap, build up the wall, save the nation, we honor those today who stood in the gap, may their memories live on in our hearts forever.”

Foto’s deur Adele Visser

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