November 13, 2006
By Tabisa Mntengwana
A SPECIAL tribute was paid to the four Johannesburg policemen who were killed in the line of duty in Jeppestown in June.
The SANDF marches through the streets of the Inner City on Remembrance Sunday
(Photo: Enoch Lehung, City of Johannesburg)
For the first time, policemen killed while on duty were numbered among those honoured on National Remembrance Sunday, held on 12 November at the Cenotaph in the city centre.
The 86th commemoration of the day began with a march along Harrison Street by members of the South African Police Service, the South African National Defence Force, and the Freedom Regiments of the City of Johannesburg and by military veterans from groups like the Military Veterans Associations of Umkhonto us Sizwe and the Azanian People's Liberation Army.
Executive Mayor Amos Masondo read a scripture from the bible during the service, which was attended by various City officials, including the members of the mayoral committee for environment Prema Naidoo; for community development Nandi Mayathula-Khoza; and for transport Rehana Moosajee, and Metro Police chief Chris Ngcobo.
Representatives from Mozambique, China, India, France, Portugal and Italy also attended. A sermon was conducted by police chaplain Reverend Gicks Moyane, in which he paid tribute to police officers, soldiers and other members of the military who died in the fight against crime and in conflicts and wars.
Making a special request to the public, he said, "It is time we put our hands together to fight against crime … [Criminals are a minority in the country] they must not rule us."
A two-minute silence was observed in honour of those who died in the line of duty and a special tribute was made to the four policemen who were shot in Jeppestown in June.
The day concluded with a wreath-laying ceremony; Masondo laid the first wreath, followed by representatives from foreign countries, the South African National Defence Force, South African Police Service, South African Navy, other military bodies and members of the public.
The Salvation Army Choir sang hymns. Also present were relatives and friends of those died in wars and armed conflicts.
National Remembrance Sunday has been held at the Cenotaph since 1920 and in 1996 the City re-dedicated the memorial to all those who died in all wars and armed conflicts, including the struggle for democracy.
The day was first observed in remembrance of those who died in World War 1 and is held on the Sunday closest to the anniversary of the armistice, a truce signed on the eleventh hour on the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918. It was hoped that "the war to end all wars", World War 1, would signal the last war ever fought.
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