The family of LEAP officer Lyle Thomas say they are still grieving deeply as they wait for justice following his death in a crash on Jakes Gerwel Drive late last year, Cape Argus has reported.
Thomas, 28, was off duty when he stopped near Samora Machel at about 4.20am on 14 December 2025 after noticing police members attending to an earlier accident. He exited his VW Polo to assist at the scene.
While he was helping officers, a grey Toyota Fortuner allegedly driven by a motorist under the influence collided with a stationary police vehicle. Thomas sustained fatal injuries in the impact.
His mother, Rene Nell, described her son as a quiet but courageous young man whose presence reassured those around him.
“He was very much to himself — almost like an old soul,” Nell said. “Even before he earned his uniform, he carried himself like someone meant to serve.”
She said Thomas shared a close bond with his family and always regarded their home as a place of comfort and safety.
According to Nell, despite his strength and determination, he remained gentle at heart. She recalled how he would sometimes spend time repairing remote-control cars, just as he had done as a child.
“My boy always fought for what he believed was right,” she said. “But on that day he was fighting for his life, and we lost him. We miss him every day.”
The accused driver, who faces a charge of culpable homicide, appeared again in the Philippi Magistrates Court last week. The matter was postponed to 24 June while the court awaits the post-mortem report.
Nell said the family had expected delays in the case, noting that the investigating officer is currently attending a six-month training programme.
“There is nothing we can do to bring Lyle back,” she said. “All we can hope for now is that justice is served, because that is what he deserves.”
