LESS than a week after the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union’s (Popcru) special national executive committee (SNEC) called for an urgent review and increase in danger allowance for their members, an off-duty police officer was shot and killed in Mfuleni.
Phindile Vutula, 33, was shot dead at about 4.10pm on Tuesday along with another man while sitting at the back of his silver Ford in Olifant Street, Extension 6.
A third man who was a passenger escaped with a wound in his hand while the person who was sitting on the driver's seat escaped unharmed.
About 16 9mm cartridges were found at the scene.
Police spokesperson Andrè Traut said the circumstances surrounding the double murder were being investigated.
“One of the victims is a 33-year-old police officer stationed at Philippi East and was off-duty at the time of the incident. The suspects are yet to be arrested,” said Traut.
Vutula’s uncle Mandlakhe said he received a call at about 8pm informing him about the incident.
“I rushed to the scene where there were already police. The car was indeed his and as a family member I was allowed to identify the body that was lying behind the driver's seat.
“However it was not him. At the scene people claimed that the driver and the passenger beside him managed to run away during the shooting. At the stage his body was already at the morgue and I was able to identify. He had holes in his chest, shoulders and leg,” said Mandlakhe.
He said they were still baffled, trying to get information about what happened.
“Phindile is survived by his only sibling, a sister and a child. As a family we are truly devastated because he was young and had a bright future ahead of him. Phindile was planning to fix his late parents home in the Eastern Cape before this. He was such a respectful and peaceful man.”
Vutula was stationed in the Philippi East for about four years.
Popcru spokesperson Richard Mamabolo said the SNEC noted the past few months have demonstrated an increase in the number of killings.
“The meeting held last week called for an urgent review and increase on service allowance for SAPS members, and further calls for an introduction of the danger allowance for the Public Service Act employees and SAPS members,” he said.
Any person with information about the incident can anonymously contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111.