Cape Town – Attacks on metro police will be met with zero tolerance, mayoral council member for safety and security JP Smith said on Thursday after a 40-year-old metro constable was shot in Hanover Park.
Smith said the “safety of our staff is paramount” and “we will do everything in our power to hold those responsible to account”.
Police spokesperson Captain Frederick van Wyk said two officers were shot at when they responded to a call about shooting near Solent Court, Athwood Road, Hanover Park.
Bullets shattered the windscreen of the duty officers’ vehicle.
Under fire by a man, the officers returned fire.
The constable, whose identity was being withheld by the city “because he was targeted in a high-risk area”, was hit in the stomach and on the left hand.
A 41-year-old metro police sergeant, the other occupant of the vehicle, sustained a slight injury to his left hand in the incident.
The officers were treated at a hospital in the area, Van Wyk said. On Thursday, police were hunting for the suspect.
While there was uncertainty about the motive for the shooting, a case of attempted murder is being investigated by the police.
In a festive season which saw one metro officer killed while on duty in Eerste River and a police officer killed in Atlantis, Smith said: “Law enforcement comes with safety concerns. Staff face threats and abuse on a daily basis, whether they are city or SAPS staff. It comes with the territory.”
Thankful that the festive season had passed without any other serious attacks on the city’s law enforcement officers, Smith said occasionally suspects engage in scuffles with the officers and “a week ago there was an incident where a suspect tried to run over two metro officers, in a bid to get away after being caught for public indecency”.
“The city as the employer does its utmost to ensure that staff are well equipped to perform their jobs. We also provide trauma counselling and support to staff when they are caught in potentially dangerous situations.
“The city is fortunate that the men and women who don their uniforms on a daily basis do so because they want to serve and protect their communities,” said Smith.
Late Thursday night, community organisations were reluctant to comment on the latest round of shooting in an area under siege by warring gangs, for fear of intimidation.
Members of the Hanover Park Community Policing Forum and police officers based at the Philippi police station were unavailable for comment.
On Thursday night there was still a heavy police presence in the area and the Cape Argus was unable to confirm residents' reports of arrests.