National Police Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola, has praised the swift action taken by investigators leading to the arrest of the alleged killers of Constable Siyabonga Thango.
Thango, aged 32, was part of a crime prevention team responding to a business robbery in Vosloorus, Gauteng, on Friday when he was fatally shot by armed perpetrators. He had been in service for five years since joining the force in 2018.
“The investigating team mobilised all resources to apprehend his killers. On Sunday morning, the team followed up on information regarding the whereabouts of the assailants, resulting in a police confrontation in Vosloorus.
Two suspects, aged 27 and 29, were arrested, and three firearms were recovered,” said SAPS national spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe.
The 27-year-old suspect later died in hospital from his injuries.
Meanwhile, Commissioner Masemola has stated that those responsible for attacks and murders of police officers should face the maximum prison sentence, as these crimes directly challenge the authority of the State.
“Constable Thango’s dedication exemplifies why the South African Police Service flag continues to fly - it does so not because of the wind, but because of the last breath of members like Thango who died protecting it,” said Masemola. “We thank him for his bravery, loyalty, and the sacrifices he made to serve and protect the people of the Republic of South Africa.”
In a related incident in June, a 32-year-old suspect was fatally wounded during a shootout involving several law enforcement agencies at a complex in Brits, North West.
The operation was in response to the brutal murder of Sergeant Leka Maja in Mamelodi a week prior and involved various units of the South African Police Service, Hawks' tactical operations management section (TOMS), Gauteng Traffic Police, and several private security companies.
IOL