SOUTH AFRICAN POLICE RESERVE FORCE
REMEMBERING A DEDICATED AND DEVOTED FORMER COLLEAGUE
WARRANT OFFICER LAWRENCE GOVENDER
Lawrence Govender was a dedicated police Reservist who gave many years of service to his country and community. He willingly gave his time and made personal sacrifices to assist the police and protect the public. His commitment helped support policing and crime prevention in the communities he served. His medals recognised his years of loyal and devoted service. His service and sacrifice will always be remembered with pride, respect and gratitude.
SOUTH AFRICAN POLICE RESERVE FORCE
IN REMEMBRANCE OF A DEDICATED AND DEVOTED FORMER COLLEAGUE
WARRANT OFFICER LAWRENCE GOVENDER
Warrant Officer Lawrence Govender and his son
Sergeant Dinesh Govender
Logan Govender-[LG]
(Authored, edited, set out and submitted for publication by - [LG]) WITH THE KIND ASSISTANCE OF Captain Kercy Pillay, now an Attorney at Law
“The Nation which forgets its defenders will itself be forgotten” - Calvin Coolidge
It is with great sadness, but also with deep respect and gratitude, that I recall the life and service of my former police colleague, Warrant Officer Lawrence Govender.
When I look back on the years of service he rendered to the South African Police (SAP) and the community, I remember a man who was deeply committed to his duties and devoted to serving others. Lawrence was a member of the South African Police, Mountain Rise Police Reservist Contingent for a large part of his adult life. He joined the SAP in 1982 and willingly sacrificed his leisure time, energy and personal sacrifices to serve his country and community.
Being a Police Reservist required dedication and commitment. Lawrence often gave up his leisure and family time to assist the police and protect the community. He placed the needs of the community and country before his own, while remaining a devoted husband to his wife, Suraya, and a loving father to his son, Dinesh.
It is especially meaningful to remember that Dinesh followed in his father's footsteps and is today a Police Sergeant serving with the SAPS Flying Squad in Pietermaritzburg. His continued service is a fitting reflection of the values and example set by his father.
During those years, Police Reservists played an important role in supporting permanent police members, particularly at a time when police stations were understaffed, and members were under considerable pressure. Lawrence and numerous fellow Reservists were frequently deployed in patrol vehicles to respond to complaints and assist members of the public.
Their presence helped improve response times and contributed significantly to crime prevention. Through their dedication and willingness to serve, they assisted in preventing serious crimes and ensuring that suspects were apprehended and brought to justice.
When recalling Lawrence, I remember his steadfastness, preparedness and willingness to make himself available whenever he was called upon to perform his duties. He could be relied upon to serve without hesitation, regardless of the demands placed upon him.
His contribution, together with that of the many other Police Reservists who served during those years, was invaluable. Their commitment made a meaningful difference to policing and crime prevention in the communities they served.
Sadly, due to ill health, Lawrence was eventually forced to resign from the Reservists in 2019. By that time, he had given many years of loyal, dedicated and devoted service to his beloved country, the SAPS and the communities he had served.
The medals and decorations proudly displayed on his uniform were a fitting recognition of his years of service and dedication. They represented more than achievements; they reflected the commitment, sacrifice and devotion with which he carried out his responsibilities.
When I look back and remember Warrant Officer Lawrence Govender, I remember a proud police member, a dedicated Reservist and a man who believed in serving his community. I also remember a family man whose service and example continue through his son, Sergeant Dinesh Govender.
I salute Lawrence and his family for the enormous contribution made to the prevention and combating of crime. His dedicated and devoted service will always be remembered with pride, respect and gratitude.
I extend my heartfelt condolences to his beloved wife, Suraya, his son, Sergeant Dinesh Govender, and the entire Govender family.
May his soul rest in peace. His service and sacrifice will never be forgotten. I respect and Salute you Sir !
A TRIBUTE TO RESERVE WARRANT OFFICER LAWRENCE GOVENDER
By Captain Kercy Pillay who is now an admitted as an Attorney at Law
Captain Kercy Pillay who isnow an admitted as an Attorney at Law
There are some people who wear a uniform because it is their profession, and there are others who wear it because it is their calling.
Reserve Warrant Officer Lawrence Govender belonged to the latter.
As a young man, Lawrence made the decision to join the Reserve Force and dedicate himself to the South African Police Service and to the community he so deeply cared about. He did so knowing that reserve members receive no remuneration for their service, no allowances and not even danger pay. They are provided with a uniform and in-house training, but the greatest things they give their time, their energy, their courage and their commitment come from within themselves. Lawrence gave those things freely.
His service was never something he treated casually. He was faithful, loyal and disciplined. He did not simply appear when it was convenient. He made the time to serve every day, and he willingly gave many hours of his weekends to policing and to the people of the community.
What made Lawrence truly remarkable was that his service was driven by a genuine desire to learn.
He was never satisfied with simply knowing enough. He wanted to understand more. He asked questions, he listened, he learned from experience, and he continually developed his knowledge and skills. Through that dedication, he became exceptionally competent and knowledgeable to the point where his understanding and practical ability often surpassed that of many full-time members.
But perhaps what distinguished Lawrence most was his willingness to help.
Whenever there was a shortage of members, Lawrence was there. When there was work to be done, he did not look for an excuse. He gave of himself. He understood that policing is not merely about wearing a uniform or carrying a rank it is about standing between a community and those who would harm it, about being present when people need help, and about serving even when nobody is watching.
That is the measure of a true public servant.
Lawrence never needed a salary to validate his service. He never needed an allowance to make his sacrifice worthwhile. His reward was knowing that he had contributed something meaningful to the safety and wellbeing of others.
His service reminds us that the value of a person cannot always be measured in money, rank or recognition. Sometimes it is measured in the hours given when nobody was obliged to give them. It is measured in the weekends sacrificed, the long shifts endured, the knowledge pursued, the colleagues he assisted and the communities protected.
And Lawrence gave abundantly. I am of the firm opinion that men of the character of Lawrence Govender are hard to find. People like him do not come along every day. His combination of loyalty, discipline, humility, willingness to learn and genuine passion for policing made him a special member of the SAPS family.
To the members of SAPS Mountain Rise, and to the community they serve, his contribution should never be forgotten.
The countless hours you gave;
The weekends you sacrificed;
Standing ready when others were needed;
Loyalty and discipline;
Your hunger to learn and improve;
Helping your fellow members;
Choosing to serve.
Lawrence, THANK YOU for : -
You demonstrated that a person does not have to be paid to make a difference.
You served because you believed in serving.
You gave your time because you believed that the community was worth protecting.
You continued learning because you believed that those entrusted with the responsibility of policing should always strive to be better.
That is a legacy worth honouring.
The uniform may eventually be put away, the years may pass, and memories may fade with time but the lives touched by Lawrence's service, the colleagues he assisted and the contribution he made to SAPS Mountain Rise will remain part of the story of the people he served.
Reserve Warrant Officer Lawrence Govender your service mattered. Your sacrifice mattered. Your example mattered.
For everything you gave, and for the spirit in which you gave it, I offer my deepest and most sincere gratitude.
Thank you for your service, Lawrence.
You served with honour. You served with loyalty. You served with purpose. And you served with heart.
May your contribution to SAPS Mountain Rise and to the community.
I thank my family, for their patience, encouragement, and understanding throughout the journey of researching, compiling and refining this tribute.
“Each day, millions of police officers do the selfless work of putting their lives on the line to protect civilians, frequently responding to or preventing crises completely with no recognition.” – Letitia James
“agnoscere et honorare servientibus” –
“to acknowledge and honour those who served”
“Soli Deo Gloria” - “To God Alone Glory”
Logan Govender