There was hardly a dry eye at Westpol Square in Potchefstroom on Sunday, September 13 as the North West community gathered to honour police officers who lost their lives in the line of duty and to remember 25-year-old Constable Gift Mota, whose life was tragically cut short while pursuing a suspect.

Mota, who was attached to the Phokeng Crime Prevention Unit, was remembered as a son, colleague and friend who left home to serve his country, but never returned.

The annual provincial commemoration service, hosted by the North West Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Arthur Adams, brought together police officers, government officials, community representatives and, most importantly, Mota’s grieving family.

The solemn proceedings included a tribute to the deceased, the playing of the Last Post, a dedication and wreath-laying ceremony by Adams and MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Tsotso Tlhapi, the National Anthem and a fly-past.

In her keynote address, Tlhapi said the occasion was one of honouring the men and women in blue who had paid the ultimate price while protecting South Africans.

“Today marks one of the significant occasions on the Provincial South African Police Service, a day dedicated to remembering the brave men and women who laid down their lives in service of our country,” she said.

But for Mota’s family, the commemoration was about much more than a name being added to a Roll of Honour.

It was about a son who should still have had decades ahead of him.

Tlhapi acknowledged the devastating reality facing his parents and siblings.

“Given the age of Constable Mota, I see parents and siblings who may have lost a breadwinner,” she said.

She said the family was not only mourning the loss of their son, but also the hopes, dreams and possibilities of a future that would now never be realised.

“No amount of tribute or pension can compensate for the loss of a son to his parents and siblings,” Tlhapi said.

She assured the Mota family that the province shared in their grief, saying their loss was a collective loss.

Mota’s final moments were also remembered during the service.

While on patrol with fellow officers, the 25-year-old and his colleagues were approached by a community member who reported seeing a suspect allegedly linked to robbery and burglary cases.

The officers proceeded to the Masosobane and Raffredy sections, where the suspect had reportedly been spotted. After identifying a person matching the description, the officers gave chase.The suspect ran into a nearby dam in an attempt to evade arrest. Mota followed. He entered the water in pursuit of the suspect but disappeared from sight while swimming and did not resurface.

The SAPS Diving Unit was activated and search and recovery operations began. Mota’s body was recovered from the dam shortly afterwards. His death sent shockwaves through his family, colleagues and the community he had served.

“He was not just a statistic, being added to the Roll of Honour,” Tlhapi said.

“He was a son, a colleague and a friend who reported to duty to serve the nation but never returned home.”

For the officers who worked alongside him, his death also meant the loss of a teammate, brother and friend. Tlhapi recognised the pain of Mota’s colleagues, who had to return to duty despite knowing the dangers they face every day.

The service also remembered other fallen police officers, with Mota among those who lost their lives in the line of duty during the 2025/26 financial year. While the number of police officers killed in the line of duty has declined compared with previous years, Tlhapi warned that even one death was one too many.

“We cannot be a province and a nation that is complacent in mourning the loss of our police officers, irrespective of how small the statistics may become,” she said.

She called for stronger cooperation between government, communities and the private sector in the fight against crime, particularly as organised criminal networks continue to threaten communities.

Tlhapi said police officers were increasingly exposed to criminals who were armed and well equipped, stressing the importance of ensuring that members were adequately equipped and protected. She also urged police officers to protect their own lives when confronted with danger.

“No police officer must surrender to any form of crime,” she said.

The MEC further said attacks on police officers were attacks on the authority of the state and the rule of law. She called for those who target, intimidate or undermine law enforcement to face the full might of the law.

But Sunday’s service was not only about remembering the past. It was also about looking towards the future.

Tlhapi said the greatest tribute to fallen officers would be to strengthen the institutions they served and improve the criminal justice system they ultimately gave their lives to protect.

Referring to revelations before the Madlanga Commission, she said the developments should become a catalyst for renewal, transparency, accountability and ethical leadership within the criminal justice system.

For the Mota family, however, the greatest tribute will perhaps always be more personal.

It will be the memory of a 25-year-old son who believed in serving others and who, in the final moments of his life, continued to do what he had sworn to do.

“He made the ultimate sacrifice in service to his country,” Tlhapi said.

As his name takes its rightful place on the Roll of Honour, Gift Mota leaves behind more than a name engraved in remembrance.

He leaves a legacy of courage, duty and service.

And while his family will carry the pain of his absence for years to come, his sacrifice will live on in the communities he served, in the colleagues who knew him and in the promise that his death will not be forgotten.

“May Gift’s courage and dedication inspire us to build a South Africa that promotes safety, justice and freedom for all,” Tlhapi said.

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