Cape Town mourns the loss of a young, off-duty Law Enforcement Advancement Programme (LEAP) officer, Lyle Thomas, aged just 20, who was tragically killed in the early hours of Sunday morning. Thomas was struck by a vehicle while selflessly assisting at the scene of a previous accident on Jakes Gerwel Drive, near Samora Machel. The driver of the vehicle that struck him has been arrested and is suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol.
The devastating incident unfolded at approximately 4:20 am, according to police reports. Police spokesman Captain FC van Wyk detailed the sequence of events: "According to reports, SAPS members were initially attending a culpable homicide at the mentioned address, that was seen as a 'hit and run'."
Van Wyk explained that officers had parked their vehicle on the side of the road, activating the flashing blue lights, while attending to the initial "hit and run" incident. It was at this point that Thomas, recognising the need for assistance, stopped his VW Polo on the left side of the road to offer his support.
Tragedy struck when a silver grey Toyota Fortuner, travelling at a high speed, careened into the back of the stationary police vehicle, causing it to overturn. "The law enforcement officer was standing with the SAPS members when the impact happened," Van Wyk stated. "The SAPS members managed to evade the approaching vehicle, but unfortunately, the law enforcement officer was fatally injured, whereafter the Toyota Fortuner rammed into a nearby tree and came to a complete stop."
The 37-year-old male driver of the Toyota Fortuner was immediately apprehended and taken to a shadow centre for a blood alcohol test. He is currently detained at Nyanga police station and is expected to appear in court to face charges of culpable homicide. The initial "hit and run" incident remains under investigation, with the identities of both the deceased and the driver still unknown, as they fled the scene.
News of Thomas's death has been met with profound sadness and disbelief. Ward councillor Angus McKenzie expressed his deep sorrow, saying: "It is with an indescribably heavy heart that we mourn the tragic passing of Lyle Thomas, a devoted Bonteheuwel resident, a committed member of the Bonteheuwel Neighbourhood Watch, and a proud Law Enforcement Application Programme (LEAP) officer. This loss is devastating."
Law enforcement spokesperson Wayne Dyason echoed these sentiments, stating that the City is in mourning following the loss of the young officer. "We extend our condolences to the officer's loved ones and his colleagues," Dyason said. "This is an absolute tragic end to a young life. The officer was just 20 years old. The Safety and Security Directorate will work tirelessly to ensure that justice is served and that the suspect faces the full might of the law."
Dyason further commented on the circumstances surrounding the incident: "During the early hours of this morning, the off-duty officer stopped to assist at an accident scene on Jakes Gerwel Drive. It was during this time that he was struck by a vehicle, and it was later determined that the motorist was under the influence of alcohol."
The City has confirmed that the driver involved in the fatal collision was under the influence of alcohol and is currently being held at Samora Machel SAPS.
The tragedy comes at a time when the Western Cape provincial government has already expressed serious concerns about the increasing number of incidents involving heavy motor vehicles (HMV) on the province's roads. Since the beginning of December, there have been 43 reported HMV incidents, including breakdowns, collisions, and overturned vehicles.
According to the Department of Mobility, these incidents "not only pose a serious safety risk to drivers, passengers and pedestrians, they also cause major traffic delays and disrupt economic activity. Clearing these scenes can take between 2 to 6 hours, or longer, depending on the nature of the incident."
In response to these concerns, Provincial Traffic Law Enforcement officers have been deployed 24/7 across key routes throughout the weekend to ensure the safety of all road users.
Mobility MEC Isaac Sileku emphasised the importance of shared responsibility in road safety. "Road safety is a shared responsibility," Sileku stated. "Every overturned truck is a preventable tragedy that endangers lives and hampers mobility. We urge the freight industry to take immediate action to improve safety standards and protect all road users."
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