Police dog hero Leah killed in KZN floods laid to rest
LEAH the police dog that died while trying to rescue Sergeant Busisiwe Mjwara during search and rescue in the KwaZulu-Natal floods in the Msunduzi River, was laid to rest after a private funeral at Virginia Airport on Wednesday. Mjwara and Leah died in the incident on April 17.
A number of SAPS members, including K9 officers, gathered to pay tribute to Leah on Wednesday.
Lindy Swales, from Brenda’s Canine Fund NPC who held the funeral service for Leah, said her family understood the importance of search and rescue teams and K9 units.
“In 2016 our mother went missing in the floods in Durban and we spent two weeks with search and rescue. Although she was never found, we understood the importance of the search and rescue teams.
“My two sisters Tami and Kristy and I started Brenda's Canine Fund NPC to raise much needed funds to assist our amazing K9 Search and Rescue units with food, medicine and life saving equipment.
“K9 Leah was a loyal partner and faithful friend to Sergeant Mathews Phakathi. As partners and dedicated
officers, the duo saved many lives and brought closure for so many families,” she said.
Swales added that Leah made the ultimate sacrifice by giving her life to try to save another.
“Today’s memorial, which was privately arranged, was to show respect and gratitude to our fallen K9 hero and to honour the unique relationship between her and her handler.
“We were blessed to be able to be one of the organisations who played a small role in honouring a K9 hero, who truly deserved a hero’s send off,” she said.
One tribute from a fellow officer
spoke of the bond between police dogs and their handlers.
“As a policeman we understand the bond between dog handlers and their K9s. I understood a long time ago these are not just dogs, these are
our colleagues and friends. Today we pay homage to Leah and to Sergeant Busisiwe for the sacrifice that they made.
“To Matthews, 10 years is a long time, my brother, to have Leah walking besides you, watching over you, protecting your back, just as you have been protecting and watching over hers. Now that she has gone on, I know that she is safely in the arms of God.”