SPECIAL EDITION NONGQAI VOL 17 NO 9B
SOUTH AFRICAN POLICE
DETECTIVE WARRANT OFFICER MIKE NAGAMUTHOO
A LIFE OF SERVICE, DEDICATION AND COMMUNITY
Detective Warrant Officer Mike Nagamuthoo
Keywords
Mike Nagamuthoo,
91st Birthday,
South African Police members of Indian descent,
Dedication and Respect,
Family and Community,
Discipline and Humility,
Police Career
Abstract
Mike Nagamuthoo is celebrating his 91st birthday after a long and meaningful life.
He served the South African Police with dedication from 1956 until his retirement.
He is respected for his discipline, kindness, humility and respect for others.
He built a loving family and shared many years of life and travel with his wife, Angie.
His life is an inspiring example of service, family, respect and commitment to the community.
Logan Govender – [LG]
Authored, researched, compiled, edited, and submitted for publication by [LG], drawing on information provided by Detective Warrant Officer Mike Nagamuthoo, as well as various sources, police personnel, and other contributors.
“The Nation which forgets its defenders will itself be forgotten.”
– Calvin Coolidge
Early Life
Mike Nagamuthoo was born on 29th August 1935 at Magazine Barracks in Durban. His father, Tommy, was a borough policeman in Durban.
Growing up in a police family, Mike was introduced from an early age to the values of discipline, responsibility, hard work and service to the community.
Mike attended school in Durban. His early schooling was at the Depot Road School. When his family later relocated to Verulam on the north coast of Durban, he continued his education at Oakford Priory School in Oakford, Verulam.
These early years helped shape Mike’s character. He learnt the importance of working hard, respecting others and treating people with dignity. These values remained with him throughout his life.
Joining the South African Police
On 1958-09-05, Mike joined the South African Police at (according to the member he enlisted at Cedar Road, Clairwood, however, it is recorded he joined at Kliptown, Gauteng. – [LG])
He completed his basic police training at the South African Police Non-European Training Depot in Wentworth, Durban.
After completing his training, Mike was posted to the South African Police station at Overport.
SOUTH AFRICAN POLICE
NON-EUROPEAN
TRAINING DEPOT
WENTWORTH
DURBAN
(Source Captain Bob Sewpersad)
Members Identified
Centre row, L-R, I/Consts PB Govender (This is Lieutenant-Colonel Aaron Bernard Pillay. He was the first officer of Indian descent at SA Police, Welfare and Pastoral Services, Natal Midlands Division based in Pietermaritzburg. – [LG]); D Sewpersad (First Commissioned Officer of Indian descent, Natal Midlands Division, Pietermaritzburg, First Indian Station Commander, SA Police, Mountain Rise. –[LG])
Back row, L-R, I/Const, 7th G Nagamuthoo (Mike – [LG])
The duration of the Refreshers Course (Basic Police Training 3 months. – [LG]) was from 1958-09-25 1958-12-12
While serving at Overport, Mike met Angie, the sister of his friend Gopaul. They married on 8th January 1960.
(Source Sagree Govender)
Mike and Angie
Mike and Angie were married for 62 years. Together they raised three children.
Overport
Mike served at Overport until 1966-05-31. During this time, he gained valuable experience and developed the knowledge and skills that would support him throughout his police career.
Pietermaritzburg
On 1966-06-01, Mike was transferred to Pietermaritzburg. He was promoted to the rank of Sergeant on 1968-08-01.
Mountain Rise
He was posted to Mountain Rise on 1968-11-11.
Mountain Rise became an important part of Mike’s police career and his relationship with the local community.
At Mountain Rise, he was appointed the first Branch Commander of Indian descent. He continued to serve the police and the community with dedication.
On 1980-04-01 he was promoted to the rank of Warrant Officer.
Cape Town
On 1987-01-31, Mike was transferred to Cape Town, where he served in the Special Guard Unit based at Pelikan Park.
The unit was under the command of Captain DGS Pillay, with Oswald Reddy, Major General as the Commander’s Assistant.
General Reddy later assisted with Mike’s transfer back to Mountain Rise on 1991-12-18. Mike continued serving there until his retirement 1992-03-31.
Retirement
Mike retired from the South African Police at the age of 60 after many years of dedicated service.
Although his official police career came to an end, his connection with people continued. He remained respected by former colleagues, friends and members of the communities he had served.
His career was much more than simply a job. It was a lifetime of service to others.
Service Medals in order of precedence
- 1988-04-01 South African Police Seventy-Fifth Anniversary Commemorative Medal;
- 1988-09-05 South African Police Star for Merit, 30 years;
- 1979-05-01 South African Police Star for Faithful Service, 20 years;
- 1976-09-05 South African Police Medal for Faithful Service, 10 years
Family life
Their family continued to grow, and Mike became the proud father of three children, grandfather of seven grandchildren and the great-grandfather of five great-grandchildren.
Life After Retirement
After Mike retired from the police on 1992-03-31, he and Angie were able to enjoy more time together.
They travelled extensively throughout Europe and the East. Their travels allowed them to visit different countries, experience different cultures and enjoy a new chapter of their lives after many years of work and responsibility.
These journeys became an important part of their shared memories.
Mike with his former colleagues at a meeting of Retired Members in Pietermaritzburg
L-R, Mike Nagamuthoo; Anand K Pillay; Nicky Gops Naidoo; Bala Naidoo; Johnny Govender
Mike with his former colleagues at a meeting of Retired Members in Pietermaritzburg
L-R, Nicky Gops Naidoo; Anand K Pillay; Mike Nagamuthoo
Sagree, daughter and Mike
Celebration in honour of Mike’s 83rd Birthday at my my home with other retired police colleagues
L-R, Selva Naick; Bala Naidoo; Pipes Yusuf Haffajee; George Ngcamu; Kercy Pillay; Mike Nagamuthoo; Krishan Anandlall; Johnny Govender
Mike with his former colleagues at a meeting of Retired Members in Pietermaritzburg
L-R, Thulani Mkhize; Mike Nagamuthoo; Daniel Seevaraj
Mike with his former colleagues at a meeting of Retired Members in Pietermaritzburg
L-R, Bob Sewpersad; Anand K Pillay; Mike Nagamuthoo; Dan Moodley; Omesh Deopersad; Pipes Yusuf Haffajee; Jerome De Villiers
Mike with his former colleagues at a meeting of Retired Members in Pietermaritzburg
L-R, Mike Nagamuthoo; Bob Sewpersad; Geoff Pascoe, former Traffic Chief, Pietermaritzburg
Celebrating His 91st Birthday
On Saturday, 29 August 2026, Detective Warrant Officer Mike Nagamuthoo celebrated his 91st birthday.
His life journey began in Durban and continued through Verulam, Overport, Pietermaritzburg, Cape Town and Mountain Rise.
From joining the South African Police in 1956 to retiring at the age of 60, Mike devoted many years to serving the police and the communities of South Africa.
He built a family, shared 61 years of marriage with Angie, travelled extensively and created many treasured memories.
Today, his life continues to inspire the people around him.
Mike’s story shows that true service is not only about holding a position. It is also about how we treat people, how we conduct ourselves and the difference we make in the lives of others.
At the age of 91, Mike is believed to be the only surviving former police member of his generation still living in Pietermaritzburg.
Reaching 91 is a remarkable achievement, particularly for someone who spent many years working in the demanding and stressful environment of policing.
Mike continues to encourage and inspire those who know him. At gatherings, people often sit with him and listen to his stories and experiences.
Many people are interested in what has helped him live such a long and meaningful life.
There may not be one simple answer. His life reflects the importance of staying connected to people, remaining positive, respecting others and appreciating each day.
Captain Kercy Pillay, now an admitted Attorney at Law
Remembering Warrant Officer Mike: An Outstanding Detective and Pioneer by Captain Kercy Pillay now an admitted Attorney at Law
Warrant Officer Mike was a remarkable police officer whose career was defined not only by his skill as a detective, but also by his humility, dignity and deep respect for others. He was a man who commanded respect without ever demanding it, and whose contribution to policing left a lasting impression on the colleagues and communities he served.
He was an outstanding detective, meticulous, committed and determined to uncover the truth. For him, investigating a case was more than simply completing a docket. It was about seeking justice, giving victims and their families answers, and ensuring that criminals were held accountable.
One of the most significant milestones in his career was his appointment as the first non-white Branch Commander of the Mountain Rise Detective Branch. At a time when racial barriers were deeply entrenched within the policing system, his appointment represented an important achievement and a significant step forward. He earned that position through ability, experience, dedication and the respect of those around him.
Yet despite reaching such an important position, Mike remained a humble man.
He never allowed rank to change the way he treated people. He was respectful towards his colleagues, juniors, victims and members of the community. He understood that leadership was not about intimidating people or reminding them of one’s authority. It was about setting an example, listening to others and earning their confidence.
Those who worked with him remember a man who was approachable and calm. He carried himself with dignity and treated everyone with courtesy. His humility was perhaps one of his greatest qualities. Even with the responsibilities that came with being a Branch Commander, he remained grounded and never considered himself better than those around him.
As a detective, Mike understood the importance of patience and perseverance. Good investigations often require long hours, careful attention to detail and the ability to keep going when a case becomes difficult. He possessed those qualities in abundance. His experience and instinct made him an officer whom colleagues could rely on when faced with challenging investigations.
His leadership at Mountain Rise was therefore about much more than holding a senior position. He became part of the history of the Detective Branch. His appointment demonstrated that ability and professionalism could break through barriers that had once appeared impossible to overcome.
The legacy of Warrant Officer Mike is not measured only by the cases he investigated or the position he held. It is also measured by the people he influenced, the example he set and the respect he earned throughout his career.
He showed that a person can be strong without being arrogant, authoritative without being disrespectful, and successful without losing humility.
For those who had the privilege of knowing and working with him, Warrant Officer Mike will be remembered as an outstanding detective, a pioneering Branch Commander and, above all, a humble and respectful gentleman.
His contribution to the Mountain Rise Detective Branch and to policing deserves to be remembered with pride. His story is a reminder that true leadership is not defined by rank on a shoulder badge, but by character, service and the way a person treats others.
Warrant Officer Mike may have worn the uniform, but it was his character that truly distinguished.
Photograph of Mike take on his 91st Birthday at his home on 28th August 2026
Acknowledgement
I wish to recognise and thank the Editor in Chief of Nongqai, Brigadier Hennie Heymans for his tireless, often unseen efforts in helping with the creation and publication of this magazine.
Brigadier Hennie Heymans, Editor in Chief of Nongqai
An experienced and highly skilled officer with an exceptional memory. His Dad was stationed at Somsetu Road and Mount Edgecombe during the 1940’s. Brigadier holds a Master’s degree in History. Was stationed with Lieutenant-Colonel (Ray) Mathura Munilall at Wentworth. He was also based at King’s Rest (Brighton Beach); and amongst others, Soweto Region, The Public Relations Officer at Head Office and later a District Commandant at Welkom in the Free State Province.
I must also acknowledge the outstanding contributions and enduring commitment of those who strive to preserve our policing heritage.
My sincere thanks go to:
- Ms Sagree Govender; Mike’s daughter for her kind assistance;
- All photographs used were from my personal collection unless otherwise indicated;
- And finally, to my family, for their patience, encouragement, and understanding throughout the journey of researching, compiling and refining this tribute.
“Each day, millions of police officers do the selfless work of putting their lives on the line to protect civilians, frequently responding to or preventing crises completely with no recognition.” – Letitia James
“agnoscere et honorare servientibus” –
“to acknowledge and honour those who served”
“Soli Deo Gloria” – “To God Alone Glory”
Logan Govender
