Having served in law enforcement for 41 years, Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar (63) would like to impart this lesson to younger officers: “Be true to the badge and the community you serve and wear your uniform with utter integrity.”
A farewell ceremony was held for Minnaar at the Public Safety Headquarters in Martindale on Monday, 28 February. Colleagues and delegates commended the esteemed officer for serving with distinction.
“I’m happy, but I’m also sad. I’m sad that I must leave the department and the City of Johannesburg, where I’ve been serving since 1981. I’ve become familiar with all the streets and roads of Johannesburg. The area that I will miss the most is Braamfontein, where I started my career as a 22-year-old officer,” Minnaar reminisced.
Asked in his first job interview, why he wanted to be a traffic officer, he said to serve and protect the vulnerable, the elderly, and children. After the interview, one of the superintendents on the panel said, “If you’re going to do what you said in the interview, then you’ll be a very good cop, and today it’s 41 years later,” Minnaar said.
One of the most memorable moments of his career was when he escorted former president Nelson Mandela to his daughter’s wedding. This is where he had the opportunity to interact with Mandela. A low point was when he was bumped on the freeway in March 1987. A driver lost control of their vehicle and crashed into him. He was hospitalised after the accident.
Minnaar’s career started on 8 January 1981 as a traffic officer. In 1983, he was seconded as a freeway patroller, and from 1984 to 1985, he served in the duty office of the former Traffic Department as well as the K-9 unit.
During his term, he found himself not only in South Africa but also in neighbouring countries. “In 1990, I had the privilege of going with a group of officers to Namibia. There was a request for traffic officers to give support to former Southwest Africa when it was granted independence,” Minnaar said.
In 1992, he was promoted to the rank of assistant superintendent in Hillbrow, where he became a commander, and during his term, he conducted massive roadblocks over the festive season until 1994. During his tenure, Minnaar found himself working through the ranks of law enforcement.
In May 2002, he was appointed spokesperson and chief superintendent of JMPD. He has since reached several milestones. In 2008, he was celebrated by the Institute for Traffic and Licensing Officers for South Africa, and during the FIFA World Cup in 2010, he was honoured for his dedication to keeping law and order.
“I was acknowledged by the City for the 2010 Soccer World Cup at FNB Stadium and Ellis Park,” Minnaar said.
He was also recognised and given the award for dedication, commitment, and outstanding contribution by the Institution for National Traffic and Licensing in 2014 for his contribution to the Traffic Department in South Africa.
The media industry and residents will remember him as the face and voice of the JMPD, but among his colleagues, he is cherished as “Uncle Wayne or Uncle Minnaar”. He said he would miss the media. “When I went inside a studio, whether at the SABC, eNCA, or Newzroom Afrika, I’d get so much adrenaline. That I will miss a lot,” he smiled.
Minnaar’s message to the recently graduated cadets is to not participate in bribery. “If you take anything in exchange for a deed as an officer in uniform, it amounts to corruption,” he said firmly.
The father of two left the following message for his successor, Xolani Fihla, the current JMPD spokesperson: “work hard, be consistent but also spend time with friends and family and go to church when there’s time”.
Minnaar leaves a legacy of serving the community with honour and dedication. His time as a spokesperson for the City may have ended, but his love for serving the community still rules his heart.
He has been approached by various companies to work as a law enforcement consultant, to share his knowledge and experience. However, before he takes up that role, he’ll take a rest.
“I have worn my uniform and badge for 41 years with pride, and as I retire, I can look back on the service I gave to the citizens of the City of Joburg with honour,” said Minnaar, summarising his successful career.
By Brümilda Swartbooi, Bongiwe Radebe and Dakalo Ramudidibi
28/02/2022