Celebrations and tears at murdered police officer’s memorial service
While some colleagues celebrated the life and career of Sergeant Mario Nel with song and dance, others struggled to hold back tears as touching tributes were shared at his memorial service yesterday.
Hundreds of police members, including provincial commissioner Lieutenant-General Nomthetheleli Mene and other top brass, were in attendance at the Raymond Mhlaba Sport Centre in Motherwell yesterday, a stone’s throw from the Motherwell Magistrate’s Court where Nel was shot dead a week earlier.
During the memorial service, it also came to light that the man accused of grabbing Nel’s service pistol and shooting him, 26-year-old Andile Nyoka, was convicted of assault in September last year, but served only a quarter of his two-year sentence before he was released on parole in March, just six weeks before Nel’s untimely death.
Nel’s brother-in-law, Cedric Serfontein, said the past week had been one of the most difficult times for their family.
“I can’t really put into words what the last week has been like.
“At times we feel fine and we almost forget what happened, and the next moment grief hits you hard and the pain of this loss knocks us down again,” Serfontein said.
He said the moment the news of Nel’s death reached the family they were in utter disbelief.
“We knew there was only one Mario Nel stationed at the Motherwell court, but somehow you can’t help but hope that maybe they got the name wrong; maybe it was another person named Nel.
“But when we heard the police were on their way to see us, we knew the truth,” he said.
Serfontein praised the police for their continued support and arranging the memorial services and the funeral, taking place today.
Sergeant Asanda Mhlangani, who was stationed at the Motherwell court with Nel, read a touching letter of her own, as well as a letter from another colleague, Warrant Officer Gilbert Douglas, in tribute to Nel.
Both described him as a dedicated colleague who felt more like family, rather than just a friend.
He had a casual way of starting a conversation, his smile was infectious and they would always cherish moments of laughter with him while on duty. “But what I will remember most was his neat handwriting.
“It spoke of his attention to detail, his professionalism and his love of keeping things in order,” Mhlangani said.
Speaking after the service, Mene said the past week had been a difficult one for the police in the Eastern Cape as three members were killed — two in Motherwell and one in East London.
“We would like to share our deepest condolences with the families of the deceased, and tell everyone how seriously we take these killings.
“An attack on our members is considered an attack on the state.”
She said as much as officers were prepared and trained for difficult situations, an event like someone grabbing a firearm inside a court building was unheard of and completely unexpected.
Mene also said the police were unsure how Nyoka was released on parole after serving such a short part of his twoyear sentence.
“We effect the arrests and we help to secure convictions, but that is unfortunately where our involvement stops.”