Staff members across departments were honoured at the annual awards ceremony.
The Directorate, tasked with public safety in Cape Town, paused to celebrate the efforts of staff members who have gone above and beyond in the line of duty. Staff members across a range of departments were honoured at the annual awards ceremony on Thursday evening, including Metro Police K9 Virus, who has had a stellar year, recovering narcotics.
The Safety and Security Directorate celebrated staff at its annual awards ceremony on Thursday, 15 October.
As is custom, categories included bravery, outstanding service, supervisor of the year and department officer of the year. For the first time, new award categories were included to acknowledge staff who are championing the use of technology in the Directorate.
Two staff members received awards for bravery – Law Enforcement officer, Marco Africa, and Fire and Rescue Service platoon commander, Morne Moolman.
Moolman, based at Goodwood Fire Station, demonstrated exceptional courage and selflessness on 1 December 2025, when he rushed to the aid of a fellow firefighter who collapsed in a puddle of water after sustaining an electrical shock.
On 7 April 2026, Africa, who is a member of the Marine Environmental Law Enforcement Unit, swam 50 metres off the coast of Monwabisi to recover a man who had been swept out by a rip current.
Metro Police K9, Virus and his handler, Inspector Keagan Van Wyk received the nod for Metro Police Department Officer of the Year for their heroics in the fight against illicit substances.
Among their successes this year have been:
- A R2,7 million drug bust from a vehicle parked at Parksig Villas in Bellville on 14 May 2026
- The recovery of tik and cocaine with a street value of more than R300 000 at a storage facility in Bellville on 15 August 2026
Other departmental Officer of the Year recipients included:
- Angelino Hare – Traffic Services
- Andre Jansen – Law Enforcement
- Chantel Allard – PECC
- Owen Muller – Fire & Rescue Service
- Morne Strydom – Disaster Risk Management Centre
- Sean Naidoo – Emergency Policing Incident Command (EPIC)
‘Our Directorate has much to be proud of, as is once again evident from the tales of heroism and exceptional service among our many nominees and recipients this year. Achievements have become part and parcel of what we do, and so it really is critical to stop and smell the proverbial roses and just take stock of what Safety and Security has grown to be and will continue to grow into, thanks to the dedication and commitment of the staff members.
‘We have outpaced all municipalities across the country in terms of our enforcement and emergency response capabilities, our investment in film and events and of course our continued use and growth of technology. I look forward to seeing what we are able to accomplish in the years ahead as we push on to further advance our public safety efforts,’ said Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.
