By Lebone Rodah Mosima
Twelve police officers who died in the line of duty will be honoured at the Union Buildings on Sunday, less than half the 27 commemorated a year ago, as SAPS marks its annual Commemoration Day.
President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to officiate at the ceremony at the SAPS Memorial Site in Pretoria from 10am, where the names of officers who died between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026 will be honoured.
In response to questions ahead of the commemoration, SAPS said 11 of the 12 officers — 11 men and one woman — sustained fatal gunshot wounds, while the remaining officer drowned while pursuing a suspect.
Two of the officers were off duty when they responded to calls for assistance from neighbours and were subsequently killed.
The number of officers being commemorated has fallen sharply over the past two years.
Thirty-nine officers who died in the line of duty during the 2023/24 financial year were honoured at the 2024 commemoration. That dropped to 27 for 2024/25 and has now fallen to 12 for 2025/26.
In 2023, SAPS commemorated 34 officers who had died in the line of duty during the 2022/23 financial year.
In March, SAPS said the Hawks had arrested 263 suspects linked to police killings since 2023, with prosecutions resulting in 75 life sentences and a further combined 2,799 years of imprisonment.
The latest commemoration comes during Police Safety Month, which is observed throughout September and is used by SAPS to focus attention on measures intended to protect officers working in often dangerous conditions.
SAPS said members were continually reminded to wear protective equipment, including bulletproof vests, carry hand radios and restraining equipment, ensure their firearms were in working order and police vehicles were roadworthy, and call for backup when necessary.
Officers are also encouraged to remain physically fit and mentally alert.
SAPS said its Employee Health and Wellness programme provides assistance to members around the clock through psychologists, social workers and chaplains.
Officers who attend serious and violent crime scenes are required to undergo debriefing within 48 hours.
Sunday’s ceremony will also draw attention to the families left behind by officers who died while serving.
The South African Police Service Education Trust, established in 2010, provides financial support for the education of children of officers who died in the line of duty, including assistance with school fees, books, uniforms and other educational needs.
SAPS said more than R25 million had been raised to support the educational needs of 2,216 children since the trust was established.
During the 2026 academic year, the fund supported 264 children and young people, including 47 tertiary students, 111 high school learners, 99 primary school learners, two Grade R learners and five learners with special needs.
SAPS said more than R16 million was raised for the trust during its annual National Golf Championship in Gauteng earlier this year.
The figure was above the R11 million raised at the previous year’s event.
The annual Commemoration Day is traditionally held on the first Sunday of September, with the names of fallen officers engraved on the SAPS memorial wall at the Union Buildings.
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