JOHANNESBURG - Two metro police officers have been murdered in separate incidents in Johannesburg and Tshwane in Gauteng, with one suspect arrested for the Johannesburg incident.
Both incidents happened on Thursday. An off-duty member of the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) was disarmed and shot dead while walking in Hillbrow. Police said two alleged killers fled the scene with his service pistol.
The person arrested claimed he was from Mpumalanga, said Gauteng Community Safety MEC Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane.
''The suspect, who claims to be from Mpumalanga, indicated that his accomplice is a Zimbabwean national. An attack on a law enforcement officer is an attack on the State, this barbaric act cannot continue unabated. The province has been robbed of selfless and dedicated members of our law enforcement agencies. On behalf of the Gauteng provincial government, I would like to send our heartfelt condolences to the families, friends and fellow colleagues of the two officers,'' said Nkosi-Malobane.
Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba said the community helped police arrest the man who had fled into a hijacked building after the shooting.
''The community assisted the police to get the suspect out of his hiding place in the building. Unfortunately, one of the community members was cut by glass and injured in the process. JMPD saw to it that the community member received medical care. My deepest appreciation goes to the community who who wanted to see the rule of law upheld in the city. My heartfelt condolences goes to the friends and families of our fallen officer.''
The Pretoria officer, a constable at the Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD), was stabbed to death at his rented home in Mamelodi on Thursday evening. No arrests have been made, and the motive for the killing is still unknown.
TMPD spokesman Senior Superintendent Isaac Mahamba said investigations were underway.