Faith Ogle, widow of slain Durban metro police Superintendent Errol Ogle, said she would always remember her husband as a kind man devoted to his job and community.
Ogle was killed in July 2023 by alleged hijackers of a Chester Wholesale Meat truck, which was carrying R700,000 worth of cargo.
Faith revealed that Ogle was inspired to become a police officer after being bullied as a child, vowing to protect his loved ones and community.
He was shot dead in the chest on the M7 near Hans Dettman Road after stopping to investigate a truck blocking traffic.
Three men, Mlungisi Mpanza, Mzomuhle Gamede, and Sabelo Mncube, are on trial for his murder. The trio allegedly hijacked the truck as an act of revenge against Chester Meat Pinetown after firing them for participating in an unlawful strike. They were planning to sell the meat to other butcheries.
They jammed the truck on the M7 freeway with the driver inside. As they drove, the truck stopped on the M7 off-ramp after about 50 meters due to locked gears.
After they allegedly killed Ogle, they stole his service firearm and the metro vehicle, leaving his body behind on the ground.
Speaking outside the Durban High Court, emotional Faith described her husband’s immense love for his work and the people he served.
“He put his job before anyone else… He loved what he did,” she explained.
She recalled him as a stern yet calm and non-violent man who would gently correct mistakes. Ogle was also a devout man who loved God.
“He was planning to resign from the force to do what God has called him to do. Unfortunately, it never happened,” she said.
Faith expressed the profound loss felt by the family, emphasising Ogle’s selflessness and heroic death.
“He has left such a vacuum in our lives, and he died a hero,” she said, tearfully adding, “I have a wall of remembrance in our home, and every time I look at it, I smile. I am a proud wife.”
She acknowledged his impact on many lives in the community, lamenting that while his job was to protect, no one protected him in his final moments.
Despite the pain, Faith finds hope, believing she will one day join him in the place he always spoke about.
Reflecting on the two-and-a-half-year ongoing emotional case, Faith stated that she harbours no ill will towards the accused.
“I desire that they find their purpose and find it in their hearts to forgive themselves,” she expressed.
The trial is set to continue in November.
