CAPE TOWN – The Western Cape Police Service has condemned, in the strongest terms, the killing of a police officer, shot dead in Brown’s Farm on Monday 19 January.
Provincial police spokesperson Brig Novela Potelwa said the officer’s report indicated the member, attached to the Rapid Rail Unit in Pinelands, was off duty at the time he was killed.
“It is alleged two yet-to-be identified suspects shot the 48-year-old victim in the upper body and later fled. He died on the scene. DPCI [Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation]detectives have instituted an investigation after a murder docket was opened. The motive for the incident is the subject of the police investigation currently underway.” She added no arrests had been been yet.
Western Cape Provincial Commissioner Lt Gen Thembisile Patekile expressed the police’s condolences to the deceased police officer’s family and colleagues.
Nyanga Community Policing Forum (CPF) secretary Dumisani Qwebe said attacking a law-enforcement officer is like attacking the state. He called for stricter sentences against the criminals.
“The officers mustn’t leave any stone unturned. The culprits deserve to rot in jail. We can’t have a country where the criminals do as they pleased.”
He described Brown’s Farm as one of the most dangerous areas of Nyanga police precinct. The identity of the deceased had been withheld until his next of kin had been informed.
