Not only was Captain Pillay the only SAPS member who made it into the top five, he was also the only finalist from KZN.
The public have spoken and voted Umhlali SAPS Captain Vinny Pillay as SA’s most honest public servant and national winner of the first Integrity Idol South Africa held in Cape Town last weekend.
Not only was Pillay the only SAPS member who made it into the top five, he was also the only finalist from KZN.
With him in the top five were Tshwane nurse Elizabeth Mkhondo, Johannesburg firefighters Deon Easu and Jocelin Flank, Dr Mirja Delport from Oudtshoorn and a teacher from the Free State, Natascha Meisler.
Pillay said he owed this award to his family, as he would not have come this far without them.
“Through the midnight call outs, weekend duty and often dangerous work, my family have always supported me and stood by me, because they know I strive to serve my community.
“A big thank you also to everyone who voted for me on WhatsApp, SMS and online,” said Pillay, who was one of about 4000 public servants nominated by South Africans in January for “doing the right thing even when no-one is watching”.
His wife Lumika said she was incredibly proud of her wonderful husband.
“I have first hand experience of the personal sacrifices he has made to serve, protect and uplift not just the community he works in, but everybody who comes in contact with him, expecting nothing in return except the pure joy and satisfaction of helping others,” said Lumika.
He will be working together with the other four finalists to highlight the importance of integrity in SA.
“It’s important to examine our own integrity in an effort to restore morals and values that are core to a functioning society.
“We have so much corruption in our country and in SAPS which we have to stop. Together, and with the support of the Integrity Idol partners Accountability Lab, LifeCo UnLtd, Democracy Works Foundation and the Nelson Mandela Foundation, we hope to work towards a future of integrity, not corruption,” he said.
Accountability Lab’s Faith Pienaar said these Integrity Idols show the incredible work that is possible within public service in South Africa.
“We are in desperate need of a positive conversation about the role of public servants as a means to restore trust. That is why “naming and faming” these heroes is so critical, in many ways Integrity Idol as a public exercise helps us to reimagine our country and its possibilities,” said Pienaar.
As it appeared on The North Coast Courier.