'Manhunter' Byleveld's last case

Piet Byleveld's widow, Elize, could not hold back her tears as the top detective's coffin was brought into the Rosebank Union Church, Johannesburg, yesterday.

Family and friends comforted one another as heart-warming letters from his loved ones were read out.

In her hand-written note, Elize recalled his last words to her: "My angel, you can cry.don't keep your emotions in, otherwise you will bottle up."

She said she woke him with a cup of coffee every morning. He spoke of things that made him happy and sad.

Flowers filled the stage of the church and his coffin, adorned with flowers, was in the centre, with pictures of him on either side.

"The funeral bed is actually such a beautiful thing.

''It is a place where you surrender everything to God," said pastor Natalia Strydom.

Byleveld died of cancer on Wednesday last week at the Wilgeheuwel Hospital in Roodepoort, Johannesburg.

He was known as the "manhunter" and was regarded as one of South Africa's top detectives. His colleague, Walter Hirzebruch, described him as a compassionate man who was always good to people - including suspects.

"His humanity never failed, not even in the face of evil," said prosecutor Herman Broodryk.

The sleuth was remembered for his dark suits - and surviving on cigarettes, Coke and Grandpa headache sachets.

"He never slept but was always alert and he had the worst handwriting that was never legible."

The top cop took on many of the most difficult cases.

"State advocates lined up to do his cases," said Broodryk.

He had so many serial murder cases that he was allocated an office in the High Court.

"He always remained calm in the witness box and never lost his temper. He charmed female prosecutors with his smile," Broodryk said.