The South African Police Service
in the Western Cape is on the hunt for the fatal shooting of one of its
officers, who was killed during a crime-prevention
operation on Wednesday 13 June in Khayelitsha.
The provincial police spokesperson, Brig Novela Potelwa, said the 30-year-old
constable was based at Khayelitsha Police Station.
She said the reports from
the scene indicate that members of Khayelitsha Police Station’s Crime
Prevention Unit were conducting a stop-and-search operation in Q-Block at
approximately 21:30, when they came under fire from an armed suspect.
“They have opened a murder and
attempted-murder docket. The investigation has since been taken over by
Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) investigators. Psychosocial
support for the colleagues of the deceased member is currently being provided
by [police] employee health-and-wellness practitioners.”
Potelwa said the identity of the deceased constable will be released once his
next of kin has been informed.
Western Cape provincial
commissioner Lt-Gen Thembisile Patekile has given his assurance that no
resources would be spared in bringing the perpetrator to book.
“It is
disheartening that police officers who are deployed to bring safety to
communities find themselves targeted by criminals,” he said.
“Our reinforced
deployments are hard at work in efforts to apprehend the suspect.”
