The SAPS family joined the Minister of Police, Gen. Bheki
Cele, in the final salute during the funeral of the late Capt. Pierre Marx
who tragically passed away while rescuing flood victims in East London last
week.
The funeral service of the late Capt. Marx, that was held
at Calvary Christian Church in Quigney, East London yesterday, January 15, was
also attended by dignitaries who came to pay homage to the K9 hero. Among them
was the Deputy Minister of Human Settlements, Pam Tshwete.
Capt. Marx, who was attached to the East London K9 Search
and Rescue Unit, was well-known and made a name for himself within the South
African Police Service. He was also adored by the community for his heroic
rescue activities within the province.
He was well respected for his commitment and empathetic
disposition towards the plight of the people. His heroic search and rescue
activities also earned him several accolades, including the SAPS Silver Cross
for bravery.
The Provincial Commissioner of the Eastern Cape, Lt. Gen.
Nomthetheleli Mene, described the late K9 hero as a true servant and a
committed patriot of the South African Police Service, who was a selfless
person and put others first.
Mene also passed her condolences to his immediate colleagues
for losing such an exemplary colleague that served the Service with distinction
during his 32 years of loyal service to the South African Police Service. She
added that Marx was a dependable colleague that also excelled in other areas of
his responsibilities.
The Deputy National Commissioner for Policing, Lt. Gen. Fannie
Masemola, parted with some comforting words, which he directed to the Marx
family. He further indicated that the
South African Police Service had lost an asset that is irreplaceable, because the level of skills that he had accumulated over the years are not easy to achieve. Masemola
concluded with a message to Marx’s colleagues: “continue to serve your
communities and ensure that your efforts are towards community satisfaction.”
Cele characterised the nature of the late captain’s work as an
actual humanity, and the late hero as an example.
“The work of this specialised unit is an actual
humanity. That means that our colleague, who is lying here, was an example of
how a human being should be, and he was also a national asset. His commitment
and dedication saved many lives, including the life of the victim that he saved on
the day of his passing,” Cele said.
In his eulogy, the minister concluded by thanking the Marx
family for supporting him throughout his career in the South African Police
Service, where he honed his skills and became a national asset.
