National police commissioner General Fannie Masemola on Friday called on community members to help end the killing of policemen, after two on-duty officers were gunned down in Boksburg north, east of Johannesburg on Thursday evening.
Masemola said the killing of police officers for their service pistols undermines the authority of the state and the proper functioning of the criminal justice system.
“While we review our police safety strategy and plan, we are calling for greater cooperation with our citizens to put an end to such incidents collectively. We believe that such incidents can be prevented,” said Masemola.
He promised that the investigating teams will not rest until the culprits have been apprehended. “My deepest condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the two members.”
Police spokesperson Colonel Athlenda Mathe said the officers, a 29-year-old constable with three years’ service and a 45-year-old sergeant with 18 years’ service, were stationed at the Boksburg north police station.
They were responding to a complaint of unnatural death in the area when they were accosted by three men, who disarmed them before killing them while waiting for staff from the mortuary.
“The suspects, who fled the scene on foot, took off with the deceased’s service pistols and bullet-proof vests,” said Mathe.
“All the role players have been activated and a manhunt is under way to apprehend those who are behind the attack, as well as the recovery of the two state firearms and two bullet-proof vests.”
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