Johannesburg - The Gauteng MEC for Community Safety, Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane, said that she was "appalled" by the brutal killing of the female Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) inspector, and condemned the incident.
Ayanda Zulu, a female officer stationed in Region D, was driving out of her premises in Palm Springs, south of Johannesburg, with a marked patrol vehicle at approximately 05:30 when she was confronted by two unknown assailants.
She was shot twice during the incident and the suspects fled with her 9mm firearm and two magazines.
"The province has been robbed of a selfless and dedicated officer. Her passing is not in vain and it would not weaken the morale of our police force but will instead encourage them to do even more to continue to protect and serve our communities," Nkosi-Malobane said.
"In the last seven months, about twelve metro police officers have died on the line of duty in Gauteng with five of these murders occurring in February. This must stop, before we know we will be left with no-one to protect the good citizens of this country."
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Nkosi-Malobane appealed to the criminal justice system to expedite this case and give the perpetrators the harshest sentence, adding this will send a strong message to the would-be perpetrators that such atrocities cannot be tolerated in South Africa.
Meanwhile, Joburg Mayor Herman Mashaba said that working together with the South African Police Service (SAPS), the JMPD would leave no stone unturned to ensure they find Zulu's killers. No arrests have been made yet.
Mashaba said that member of the mayoral committee (MMC) for Public Safety, Michael Sun, was calling for a specialised task team to be formed between the Johannesburg and Tshwane Metro Police Departments as well as the South African Police Service.
This task team will be responsible for investigating the murders of all metro police officers.