The man that stabbed an off-duty police officer in the
back during a housebreaking incident in Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), last week, will
appear in the local Magistrates Court again on Tuesday for a formal bail
application after his case was postponed on Friday.
Mangaliso Mzileni (30) was detained on a charge of
housebreaking and attempted murder after he was allegedly caught red-handed when
he broke into a house in Bluewater Bay and found with jewellery worth R10 000
in his possession by w/o George “Frikkie” Vermaak and resident, Ray Marsh.
According to police spokesperson, Col. Priscilla Naidu,
Vermaak was driving on the N2 at approximately 10:00 on the morning of
Wednesday, February 24, when he received a frantic call from Marsh, his neighbour.
“Marsh informed him that an unknown male had just
confronted his wife. The said male had jumped over the boundary wall and
was moving between Maureen Circle and Riverside Drive. Immediately w/o Vermaak,
from the Nelson Mandela Bay Operational Command Centre, turned around and
headed back to Bluewater Bay to assist his neighbour. The area was thoroughly
searched but the suspect could not be found,” Naidu explained.
“At about 11:00, Marsh once again phoned Vermaak and
informed him that he heard a woman screaming at the back of his house. Both
Marsh and w/o Vermaak headed in the direction of the screams but could not find
anything.
“As he was standing in a yard in Riverside Road, he heard
a noise in the garage and peeped inside. He saw a man trying to jump through
the window. The clothing description matched the description given to him
in the morning,” Naidu added.
When the suspect climbed through the window, Vermaak
tackled him and during the scuffle, he felt a hot sensation in his back – he
was stabbed. The suspect managed to break free and ran straight into Marsh.
Both Marsh and Vermaak grappled with the suspect again and after some time,
they managed to get the knife from him. When a private security officer
arrived, the suspect was handcuffed.
Naidu said it was confirmed that the suspect had broken
into a house in Riverside Road. “Jewellery to the approximate value of
R10 000 was found in his possession. W/o Vermaak received 12 stitches on
his back,” she said.
Acting Mount Road Cluster Commander, Brig. Thandiswa
Kupiso, commended both Vermaak and Marsh for their brave actions and response
to the situation. “Traits such as integrity and bravery are what make a police official earn the
trust and confidence of the communities. The actions of both men are
commendable as they risked their lives to make sure that the criminal was
apprehended. Execution of their daily tasks with service excellence is
what contributes to professional policing,” Kupiso added.
Source: SAPS media statement
