Pretoria - After one of their own was gunned down on the Brits Road off-ramp on the Mabopane Highway, the Tshwane metro police have put together a task team to work with the SAPS to make sure that those responsible for killing Veli Masemula are brought to book.
The chief security officer of the metro police department was found dead next to the road on Monday morning.
His body was found several metres from where his car had been left idling.
He had been assaulted and stabbed several times before being shot. On Tuesday, senior officials from the metro police, including Deputy Chief Sam Dlamini, visited Masemula’s family in Soshanguve to offer their condolences.
“The chief of police takes this very seriously and has appointed a team to work with the SAPS to make sure the perpetrators are arrested,” said metro police spokesman Senior Superintendent Isaac Mahamba.
The post-mortem was expected to be concluded on Wednesday. Mahamba said they were not sure why Masemula had been killed or by whom.
“We again urge the public to let us know if they know anything about this murder,” he said.
Masemula’s older sister, Lindi, said the family hoped that the assailants would be arrested soon.
“It’s such a great loss to the family. After our other brother died in 2010, Veli was the one who always helped out at home and supported my parents,” she said.
She said that the family still had to decide who would take care of his two children, one of whom was only 10 months old. “My parents are heartbroken, frustrated and confused. I am scared for my elderly father because he is ill,” she said.
Masemula said that the family hoped to bury her brother this week.
“When I close my eyes, I see his smile. He was such a kind, generous and friendly person,” she said.
The metro police will hold a memorial service for Masemula on Thursday.
Twitter: @LalivZ
Pretoria News