Mokgophong – Limpopo police, Sergeant Nyiko William Lelaka who died on the R101 road with eight inmates when the police vehicle he was operating to the Naboomspruit Magistrate Court collided with a truck was buried on Saturday at Mookgopong, in the Waterberg District.
In her tribute, the Limpopo Police Commissioner, Lt-Gen Thembu Hadebe described Sergeant Lelaka as a man whose badge bore witness to integrity, whose uniform carried the weight of justice, and whose heart beat in service to others until his final moment.
Hadebe said South Africa lost more than a police officer.
“We lost a guardian, a protector, a rare breed of a public servant— one whose character went beyond call of duty and transcended working hours of his uniform. Colleagues remembered him as a pillar of integrity and humility, a man who didn’t just perform his duties but elevated them into acts of service that strengthened the very fabric between police and community.,” she said.
“As a court orderly, he was the invisible hand that ensured justice flowed smoothly—punctual as sunrise, professional as a surgeon, vigilant as a sentinel,” said Hadebe.
Sergeant Lelaka transformed the mundane task of transporting inmates into a masterclass act, fostering relationships with judicial officers grounded on trust and mutual respect. In an era where corruption casts shadows across sectors of our society’s institutions, Sergeant Lelaka stood as a beacon of incorruptible service, ensuring that justice was not just blind, but also pure,” Lt-Gen Hadebe said.
The late Sergeant Lelaka left his wife and two children.
Spokesperson for the Limpopo SAPS, Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba said: “Through the South African Police Service Education Trust Fund (SAPSET) which was established in 2010, the Department of Police is able to provide for the educational needs of the deceased members’ children from Grade R to Tertiary Level. This includes the funding of fees, stationery and uniform.
“To date the fund has assisted more than a thousand children with 42 beneficiaries having been able to complete their tertiary education. The Fund is a non-profit organisation and is funded by gifts, donations and sponsorships from private persons, firms, companies as well as employee and employer contributions,” she said.
“Furthermore, the Service’s Employee Health and Wellness Component (EHWC) continues to render psychological and spiritual support to the families, friends and colleagues of the deceased members,” Brig Mashaba said.
