Memorial held for KwaNonqaba’s Warrant Officer Gerrit Maritz

MOSSEL BAY NEWS - A touching memorial service was held at the KwaNonqaba Community Hall on Tuesday 16 September for the late Warrant Officer Gerrit Maritz, the designated KwaNonqaba Police Station liquor officer who died in a motorcycle crash last Tuesday, 9 September.

Maritz (48), who was off duty at the time, had been riding his motorcycle along the R102 near Great Brak River when he collided with a Toyota Hilux at about 14:00.

Emergency medical services declared him dead on the scene. The Great Brak River Police are investigating a case of culpable homicide following the crash.

Police officers and commanders of the various stations within the greater Mossel Bay area, along with several of Maritz’s family members, attended his memorial service at 10:00 on Tuesday.

The KwaNonqaba Police Station’s spokesperson, Warrant Officer Kappie Kapp, said the Garden Route’s Deputy Police Commissioner, Brigadier Belinda Pather, was also in attendance to offer her condolences and support to Maritz’s family and colleagues.

Several speakers shared emotional and poignant memories of Maritz. Vuyo Seyikwana, a colleague and representative of the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) held a candle-lighting ceremony, and Maritz’s two daughters, Geraldine and Shamoné, lit their candles to symbolise their father’s life.

Afterwards, the candles were blown out by Maritz’s mother, Loraine, and the police chaplain for the greater Mossel Bay area, Captain Rosetta Bhana.

Kapp said there was not a dry eye in the hall towards the end of the memorial.

An official funeral granted by the Western Cape Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembisile Patekile, will be held at the Doxa Deo Church in Da Nova, Mossel Bay, at 10:00 on Thursday 18 September.

Maritz’s father, Edmund, had previously told Mossel Bay Advertiser that his son got along with everyone and was loved by his family, friends and colleagues. “He was like sunshine wherever he went, and he would always leave one with a smile on their face.”

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