Latest news with #AndreLincoln
News24
3 days ago
- General
- News24
Ex-Mandela bodyguard and Anti-Gang Unit boss Andre Lincoln dies
Former top cop and late president Nelson Mandela's former bodyguard, Major-General Andre Lincoln, died on Friday morning. Lincoln has been remembered for his service in fighting crime. He was the head of the Anti-Gang Unit before his 2021 retirement. Former Anti-Gang Unit boss Major-General Andre Lincoln died on Friday morning. Lincoln was one of late former president Nelson Mandela's bodyguards and was appointed as the Head of the Presidential Investigation Task Unit in 1996. He also served as a Cluster Commander and later as Head of the Anti-Gang Unit, where he contributed to police efforts to tackle the scourge of gang violence in the Western Cape. Provincial MEC for Police Oversight and Community Safety, Anroux Marais, sent her condolences to the family, friends and the law enforcement fraternity. Marais said: 'Major-General Lincoln's contribution to improving safety in the Western Cape will continue to form part of the legacy he leaves behind after serving in the SAPS for over 39 years. My thoughts are with his family during this difficult time.' Lincoln retired in 2021. He was made head of the Anti-Gang Unit in 2018 after a career of ups and downs. Former police boss Jeremy Vearey said Lincoln's death had been a shock. 'Our paths started together long before we joined the police,' he said. Both had worked together in the armed struggle, and Lincoln had supported Vearey after his release from Robben Island in the 1990s. 'Andre was there when I was released from Robben Island. Some of us, as political prisoners, needed protection. Comrades like Lincoln were there for us,' Vearey recalls. The two had worked together guarding Mandela, and Vearey recalled Lincoln's excellent evasive driving skills that had kept Mandela safe on numerous occasions. 'We were soldiers on the ground, defending our movements. I know him from battle, from blood, as a comrade for whom I would lay my life down,' he said. He described Lincoln as a 'humble man' who had a 'core strength' and demonstrated a 'zen-like calm' that was likely born of many years of practising martial arts. He also had a love for bonsai. 'Andre had a bonsai, which produced a micro pomegranate. It's one thing to look after your bonsai; it's another thing to have the patience to get it to bear fruit. That is understanding, a relationship with nature, that is almost spiritual.' In an outpouring of tributes on social media, Lincoln was described as a 'soldier' who lived a 'life of serving'. 'Thank you for putting your life at risk for us, the general public. Your dedication in the line of duty is beyond the call of duty, and we are immeasurably indebted to you,' said one social media user. My sincere and heartfelt condolences to the family of late Major General Andre Lincoln on the tragic passing of such a... Posted by Ezra October on Thursday, May 29, 2025 His daughter, Nikki, posted: 'A part of me thought you would live forever. You were always so strong and so resilient. Imagining life without you was so impossible I let myself believe in the impossible. Rest in peace, Daddy. I don't know how to be a person without a father. I don't know how to navigate life without your wisdom. I love you forever. You took a piece of my heart with you, but I know a piece of yours will stay here with me.' A part of me thought you would live forever. You were always so strong and so resilient, imagining life without you was... Posted by Nikki Lincoln on Thursday, May 29, 2025 Lincoln and former Crime Intelligence chief Peter Jacobs were embroiled, with Vearey, in allegations of misconduct in one of the most recent controversies. One of the allegations against Lincoln and Jacobs was whether they responded appropriately to an informant who warned that AGU detective Charl Kinnear's life was in danger. Kinnear was murdered outside his house on 18 September 2020. Lincoln had previously faced 47 criminal charges and was convicted of 17 of these in 2003. He then appealed the conviction and was acquitted on all the charges, according to a previous News24 report. Lincoln was also among a number of senior police officers whose phone location was tracked, allegedly by former rugby player Zane Kilian, who is among those charged, along with Nafiz Modack, for the murder of Kinnear.
IOL News
3 days ago
- IOL News
Honouring Major-General André Lincoln: A legacy of courage and service
Major-General Andre Lincoln. Image: Phando Jikelo / Independent Newspapers Major-General (retired) André Lincoln, a veteran crime fighter and former head of the Western Cape Anti-Gang Unit, passed away on Friday morning at 63. Lincoln spent nearly four decades in the South African Police Service (SAPS), where he led several high-profile crime-fighting initiatives, most notably in communities affected by gang violence across the Cape Flats. As head of the Anti-Gang Unit (AGU), he spearheaded efforts to dismantle organised criminal networks, working closely with residents and community leaders to restore trust in law enforcement. His death has prompted an outpouring of tributes from government officials, civil society organisations, and former intelligence operatives. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading Western Cape Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety Anroux Marais described Lincoln as a dedicated public servant whose contribution to policing would leave a lasting legacy. 'Major-General Lincoln's contribution to improving safety in the Western Cape will continue to form part of the legacy he leaves behind. My thoughts are with his family during this difficult time,' Marais said. Lincoln's law enforcement career began before the advent of democracy, during which he was also involved in underground intelligence work. After 1994, he was appointed by former president Nelson Mandela to head the Presidential Investigation Task Unit. He had previously served as one of Mandela's bodyguards and reportedly helped prevent an assassination attempt during the 1994 presidential inauguration. Lincoln later served as a cluster commander before taking up his final post as head of the Anti-Gang Unit, which was launched to respond to the surge in violent crime and gang activity across the Western Cape. He was often seen on the ground during high-risk operations, leading from the front and working in some of the province's most volatile areas. Bradley Steyn, a former intelligence operative and author of Undercover with Mandela's Spies, credited Lincoln with saving lives both during the Struggle and in post-apartheid South Africa. 'I knew André Lincoln first as my enemy, then as my mentor, handler, and eventually, my friend,' said Steyn. 'He embodied sacrifice, strength, and service.' The organisation Fight Against Crime South Africa (FACSA) also issued a statement honouring Lincoln, describing him as 'a beacon of hope in communities plagued by crime and violence'. 'His legacy, especially in leading the AGU and fearlessly confronting organised crime and gang violence, will forever be remembered by the people of the Western Cape and across South Africa,' the group said. The #GangsterismMustFall movement has called for a Special Provincial Official Funeral – Category 1, saying Lincoln's lifelong commitment to public safety deserves formal recognition. 'He walked the streets of the Cape Flats not above the people, but among them – earning trust, offering hope, and saving lives,' the movement said. Lincoln is survived by his wife, Shereen, and their children. Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.
