Traffic officer Boy Makutu has proven that courage comes in all forms – whether it’s calmly handling a belligerent drunk driver or literally hanging onto a moving taxi to make an arrest.
His fearless dedication to keeping Cape Town’s roads safe has earned him the prestigious Safety and Security Officer of the Year award at the City’s annual awards ceremony held on Thursday, 18 December.
Makutu’s extraordinary year included 29 arrests between November 2024 and September this year, with two incidents capturing the public’s attention and going viral on social media.
In September, he demonstrated remarkable composure when confronted by an aggressive drunk driver on the N1 outbound near Durban Road. Just months earlier in July, video footage showed him hanging onto a taxi in his determined bid to arrest the driver for drunk driving and failing to comply with a lawful instruction.
“Officer Makutu embodies the very essence of Safety and Security. He serves with dedication and humility, and while he is very soft-spoken, his service record shows that he is a force to be reckoned with,” said Mayco member for safety and security, JP Smith.
The Safety and Security Directorate’s annual awards ceremony celebrated outstanding service across multiple categories, including supervisor of the year, department officer of the year, and the top directorate officer honour that went to Makutu.
Other departmental Officer of the Year recipients included:
• Ashwin Maxim – Disaster Risk Management Centre
• Kim van Zyl – Fire and Rescue Services
• Rene Mostert – Public Emergency Communication Centre
• Cassidy Bock – Metro Police
• Deon Philander – Law Enforcement
Metro Police walked away with the Department of the Year honours.
Volunteers recognised for exceptional service
The celebration continued on Saturday, 20 December, with the Law Enforcement Auxiliary Awards recognising volunteers who give their time to keep communities safe.
Grant Adams claimed the award for the highest number of hours served, clocking an impressive 765 hours this year.
Volunteer Officer of the Year went to Gerhard Engelbrecht for his outstanding contribution to the Rural Auxiliary Unit. His dedication spans 70 months, during which he has completed 4 310 hours of service – averaging 61 hours per month.
Smith extended his appreciation beyond the award recipients to acknowledge the broader team effort.
“While we pause to tip our hats to those nominated, I also want to extend my sincere appreciation to the thousands of others in our Directorate who show up for their communities day after day, often at great personal cost and sacrifice,” he said.
