The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) has confirmed that an investigation is under way after three people were killed when a woman allegedly spurned a police officer’s advances and a shoot-out between the cop and her relatives ensued.
The officer, a woman and a man were killed in the incident in Empangeni in northern KwaZulu-Natal.
It is alleged that the police officer was driving his private vehicle when he saw a woman walking along the road in Nseleni township and approached her.
Ipid spokesperson Phaladi Shuping said the woman rejected the policeman’s advances.
“The police official got angry and allegedly insulted the lady, who insulted him back. The officer allegedly alighted from his vehicle and assaulted the woman.
“Her uncle allegedly tried to stab the officer, in the woman’s defence,” Shuping said.
The officer went to his vehicle and then fired shots at the woman and her uncle.
Shuping said the woman’s grandmother came out of their house, armed with a firearm, and fired shots at the officer.
The police officer, the woman’s uncle, and her grandmother sustained gunshot wounds.
“They were all taken to hospital, where they all passed away,” he said.
According to Police Minister Bheki Cele, more than 5 000 officers have been arrested since 2019.
In a written reply to a question from the DA, Cele revealed that 5 489 officers have been arrested since 2019 for various crimes.
He added that 3 981 of these members are still employed by the South African Police Service (SAPS), despite their arrests.
The Mercury