Pretoria - Acting national police commissioner Lt-Gen Lebeoana Jacob Tsumane has condemned the killing of two police officers in separate incidents in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal provinces.
Tsumane has instructed the implementation of the 72-hour activation plan to track down the alleged killers of the two constables, both 36 years of age, Colonel Brenda Muridili said on Saturday.
In KwaZulu-Natal, an officer died at KwaMashu Hostel in Durban where Ethekwini inner north policing cluster officers were conducting an operation at 6pm on Friday evening.
"The members heard gunshot sounds emanating from the informal settlement within the hostel and proceeded to investigate. Two suspects were spotted and two police officers chased after them. The suspects opened fire at the police officers, wounding a 28-year old member and [fatally wounding] the 36-year-old constable."
In Gauteng, the killing occurred when police came across a robbery in progress while conducting routine patrols in the Malvern area of Johannesburg. It was alleged that the police saw one of the suspects fleeing the scene and the 36-year-old officer chased after the suspect on foot. He was fatally wounded at the corner of David and Mars streets, Muridili said.
“We have been doing well in combatting the scourge of serious crimes around the country, but at the expense of several of our members. The time is now for our communities to rally behind the police to put an end to these continuous attacks on the authority of the state," Tsumane said.
"Police killers live within our communities. We need to reclaim our streets and the police alone will not win these crimes against the state. Therefore, communities are urged to rally behind the police to overcome these and all other serious crimes," Tsumane said.
He also conveyed his condolences to the families of the two officers who died and wished the officer recovering in hospital well.