TRIBUTE: Final goodbyes for Park Rynie RTI provincial inspector
Loved ones and colleagues attended the funeral in Umkomaas last Saturday.
Park Rynie RTI’s Provincial Inspector Timothy (Tim) Shane Simpson‘s funeral was held at Ebenezer Church in Umkomaas on October 10, surrounded by loved ones and colleagues.
Simpson died in a vehicle fire while on duty on the N2 near Scottburgh on September 22. Investigations are ongoing.
MEC for Transport and Human Settlements, Siboniso Duma, attended the funeral to pay his respects to the local hero. He addressed those present and said that Simpson was exemplary in his conduct and he distinguished himself through hard work.
“On top of being a strict law enforcement officer, he believed in non-racialism,” added Duma.
“He never took advantage of the colour of his skin. He respected his commander, Philile Shangase. He was always on time at work and did everything with integrity. He served seven MECs. Not even once did we receive a grievance against him.”
Born on October 10, 1966, he was raised by his mother, Dawn Simpson and shared a special bond with siblings, Blythe and Shane. He attended Holy Cross Convent and Ixopo High.
His love and passion for road safety and traffic law enforcement in general developed in the late ’80s. He eventually joined RTI Kokstad in 1990.
In 1995, he moved to Umdoni Local Municipality, where he was part of the community-aligned road safety initiatives within the traffic department.
In 2005, he re-joined RTI and distinguished himself as a no-nonsense RTI officer. He was stationed at RTI Park Rynie.
He executed the #NenzaniLaEzweni Operation with precision and contributed immensely to ensure that RTI achieved 99% success in speeding cases and 98% in drunk driving cases.
He demonstrated reliability, efficiency, and integrity. This earned him genuine admiration from across all sections of society, with young law enforcement officers looking up to him for guidance.
Duma honoured Simpson at the #NenzaniLaEzweni Awards Ceremony last year, where he received the Highest Speed Recorded Award. This was on the back of another award, the MEC’s Service Excellence Award for Bravery, which he received in 2024, which helped solidify his reputation as a leading champion of road safety.
Simpson is survived by his wife, Violie, children Lisa Ann and Katie Dawn, and grandson, Lachlan.
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