How does one say goodbye to someone who took a chance on me over 20 years ago? Rodney was the one who employed me, who chose me amongst all the other candidates who were interviewed for the position as executive secretary (PA) to work in his office as the Director of Public Prosecutions in the Western Cape for the National Prosecuting Authority.

He was dynamic, intelligent, humble, empathetic, a good speaker, a great friend and an admirable father. I heard him before I saw him as he had a big booming voice in contrast to the small figure he had. I worked with him for 16 years in the NPA, in a busy office. During that time, I got to know him pretty well.

He was the kind of boss that trusted his staff. As long as the work was done, he never policed anyone. I appreciated that for I knew I could ask him anything and he never said no as my work was always finished. During our time together, I heard him raise his voice with other staff in his office over things they’d done, but never with me. He respected me completely, even going as far as defending me to others. By doing so, he made me feel treasured — I felt part of his team and I protected him to the end.

But as all good things come to an end, Rodney decided to leave to take a higher position in the National Office in Pretoria 5 years ago. He asked me to come with him, but I refused. I didn’t want to leave my family behind and go. It devastated me that we wouldn’t work together any longer and it took a long time to accept that he had left. Then Covid struck and we worked at home and the world went crazy for a while. I had a new boss and returned to the office in a few months.

He came to visit after Covid and we spoke, but this time he was in a different capacity. We remained friends.  Rodney contracted Covid in Cape Town and it was a difficult time for him to heal and return to Pretoria. Our relationship seemed to change thereafter as he became busy with his job. I still saw him every few months when he came to the office for a meeting. But he was always rushing to leave to see Ryan, his son and I never stopped him.

The last time I saw him was in November when he attended the Annual Awards function that our committee invited him to. I informed him that I was intending on leaving the NPA and his final words to me were to reconsider. At my farewell function, I found it strange that he had not sent me a farewell message as he’d done for other colleagues who’d left.

I was informed in January that Rodney was ill. When I messaged him on WhatsApp he informed me that he had cancer. My heart sank – what does one say when given this news? All I could do was assure him all would be fine and I would pray for him. I tried to call him a week later and although he took my call, he was weak and passed the phone to Samantha, his daughter who informed me he had brain cancer and they would need to decide on an operation. I assured Samantha that Rodney was a fighter and he would make it. But from the conversation I could gage in her voice that she was worried.

I prayed for Rodney every day and tried to find out as much as I could on his condition. He went for the operation but never recovered. He passed away on 21 January 2025 at the age of 64 years. A life cut tragically short far too soon.

The NPA held memorial services in Pretoria and Cape Town. Staff, stakeholders, and friends, filled the auditoriums to listen to speakers share Rodney’s illustrious career achievements. None was more poignant than Samantha sharing Rodney’s pride and unconditional love for his children and his family.

Rodney was laid to rest today in a beautiful funeral attended by loved ones, friends and the legal fraternity. The Pastor said to remember our favorite memory of Rodney and to hold on to it until we meet again 🙁 Don Vino honored Rodney in song “Abide with me”. It was as if Rodney was there watching it all, content we’d come to listen to the stories, the music, to say goodbye, for his for his work was done.