Top honours for crime-busters

The  men and women in blue, who risk their lives to protect and serve, will be honoured at the police “Star of the Year” Awards. The ceremony takes place at Hemingways Hotel on October 31 and already the names of Eastern Cape police officers have been shortlisted for the coveted awards.

The winner will walk away with a cash prize of R10000. Those in the running for top honours are Constable Roseman Simayile of Cofimvaba police station, Warrant Officer Kilian Steyn of East London K9 unit and members of the provincial search and rescue unit.

• Constable Simayile was off-duty last December when he attended to an armed robbery case at a supermarket in Cofimvaba. His colleague, Constable Mlenga, was shot dead by one of the two suspects.

Simayile gave chase and caught up with one near the Cofimvaba river. The suspects ran in different directions and Simayile pursued the one with a firearm.

“As I came closer to him, he jumped in the river and swam. I also jumped into the river, swimming with my clothes on. The volume of the water was high. I fired a warning shot and he surrendered. After searching him, I found wet airtime coupons and some money and immediately arrested him,” said Simayile.

Police said of Simayile: “The member went an extra mile, placing himself on duty and utilised his private vehicle in searching for the suspects.”

• Warrant Officer Steyn shot dead an armed robbery suspect earlier this year near Leaches Bay in East London.

The man had allegedly robbed the Engen garage in Beacon Bay and Steyn attended to the complaint.

When he fled, Steyn chased after him and caught up with him near Leaches Bay. The man opened fire at the officer and hit him below the heart. Luckily he was wearing a bulletproof vest.

Steyn returned fire while running for cover. The man began shooting randomly at people in the street where children were playing. Steyn said he realised the man was going to kill innocent people and as a result, he came out from cover. The man fired two shots at Steyn, hitting him in the stomach and left forearm. An injured Steyn returned fire and killed him.

• The provincial search and rescue unit, comprising East London Dive Point and K9 unit, and Queenstown and Cradock K9 units, were nominated for rescuing 31 passengers in Bolotwa last December.

The passengers, including six children with one as young as two months, were on a bus when it got stuck in the flooded White Kei River.

During the rescue mission, the officers brought each person across by carrying them through the raging waters.

31 passengers were brought to safety.

The rescue mission was conducted by Captain Steyn and Warrant Officers Leslie, Mraji, Smith, Swarts and Dicks.

• The second provincial search and rescue unit, comprising East London Dive Point and K9, Mthatha K9 and Cradock K9, rescued eight children stranded on an island in the flooded Thina River near Qumbu earlier this year. The rescue mission began at 4pm and ended at 10pm.

It was conducted by Captain Steyn, Warrant Officers Swartz and Dicks, and Constables Katikati and B Makhosonke.

Provincial police spokeswoman Brigadier Marinda Mills said of the awards: “Our officers get little recognition. You seldom hear about their great achievements in the media because the media is always focusing on victims of crime.

“The award ceremony recognises all the extra efforts put forward by these dedicated officers when protecting the community. It is also the only night in a year where they bring their spouses to meet the provincial commissioner.” — zwangam@dispatch.co.za