Cape Town - A 23-year-old suspect is expected to appear at the Blue Down’s Magistrate’s Court this morning on a murder charge, after he was handed over by his attorney at Delft police station, accused of killing a police officer at the weekend.
Constable Khangelani Magqabini, 40, stationed at Mowbray police station, was off-duty on Friday when he was shot and killed, after he was involved in an argument with a driver who was allegedly driving recklessly.
According to reports, Magqabini had been driving with a relative in his car in Delft-South when he became involved in an altercation. He apparently drove to his home to fetch his firearm and left his relative in the car.
He did not realise that the driver in the other vehicle had followed him; when he returned to his car, the driver allegedly opened fire and fled the scene.
Hawks spokesperson Zinzi Hani said Magqabini sustained gunshots to the body and later was declared dead at the hospital.
Acting provincial head of the Hawks Mushavhaduvha Ramovha condemned the latest killing of a police officer. He said the police services had been “robbed of yet another foot soldier in such a tragic manner”.
Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union spokesperson Richard Mamabolo said the issue of police killings was of serious concern, and could no longer be overlooked, and therefore required communities “to also fully participate in jointly ensuring the safety of the residential areas”.
The killing of Magqabini comes three weeks after two police officers, Mnakwazi Mdoko and Mninawa Breakfast, were ambushed, shot and killed while patrolling in Bloekombos near Kraaifontein.
SA Police and Allied Workers Union president Bonga Makuliwe said the justice system was not doing enough to ensure that those found guilty of killing police officers, whether on duty or off duty, get harsher punishment.
He said police management must put more pressure on the Department of Justice to ensure that those found guilty were sentenced properly.
"We will always condemn the killing of police officers with our lips but nothing is being done by the government. They are doing nothing to stop the ritual of police killings. The law is very lenient on this scourge," said Makuliwe.
He said Delft was regarded as a high crime area in the province, along with Nyanga and Khayelitsha.
"Why are these units like the Tactical Response Team and National Intervention Unit and Task Force not utilised to do operations in those areas?," asked Makuliwe.
Cape Argus