National Police Day will be held annually on January 27, National Police Commissioner Jackie Selebi said at the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the South African Police Service (SAPS) on Thursday.
”National Police Day … will celebrate the successes of the police and commemorate those who have paid the ultimate price to ensure the safety of South Africans,” Selebi said.
He said the anniversary is one of the milestones defining how far South Africa has come as a country.
Selebi paid tribute to a former minister of safety and security, the late Steve Tshwete — whose widow was at the event — on his skills in raising the morale of the police and bringing the force together.
Dignitaries at the event in Church Square in central Pretoria, which was attended by more than 3 000 people, included Deputy President Jacob Zuma, Minister of Intelligence Ronnie Kasrils and Minister of Correctional Services Ngconde Balfour.
”We weren’t expecting such a large number of people to attend, but the SAPS is on duty all day and the event is expected to go off smoothly,” said police spokesperson Superintendent Ronnie Naidoo earlier on Thursday.
The event started with a performance by popular traditional singer Solly Mogolo and his dance group. Mogolo is well known for his music that highlights crime fighting and the devastation caused by HIV/Aids.
Prior to 1995, there were 11 different policing agencies. These were then amalgamated into one police law-enforcement agency, the SAPS. — Sapa