Johannesburg - Two more South African Police Service (SAPS) officers have been killed in two separate incidents in KwaZulu-Natal this weekend, one of them allegedly at the hands of a fellow officer, SAPS said on Sunday.
SAPS National Commissioner Lt-Gen Khehla John Sitole and SAPS management had learned with concern of the killing of the two officers, on Friday and Sunday, and conveyed condolences to the families of the two officers, Colonel Brenda Muridili said.
An off-duty police constable apparently arrived at the Ekombe Police Station in Northern KwaZulu-Natal just after 9pm on Friday night. "An altercation that ensued between the member and the sergeant, who was a relief commander on duty, allegedly culminated in the constable fatally shooting the 43-year-old sergeant. The constable was immediately arrested by his colleagues who registered a case of murder, and investigations will determine the motive," Muridili said.
In a separate incident, police were called to a scene in Pata location outside Pietermaritzburg at about 5am on Sunday morning, where an off-duty police constable had been murdered. Police found the officer's car, a white Opel Corsa, on the side of the road.
"Seemingly, the vehicle stopped after colliding with a big rock. The member's body was found outside the vehicle with two bullet wounds to his head. The 25-year old constable was stationed at Hilton Police Station. The province has implemented the 72-hour activation plan to hunt down the perpetrators," Muridili said.
Sitole welcomed the swift arrest of the officer in the Ekombe incident. At the same time, he conveyed his condolences to the families and colleagues of both slain members. Sitole expressed his sadness "regarding the incident wherein one of our own lost his life at the hands of a colleague", while he also condemned the cold-blooded killing of an off-duty member at the hands of unknown assailants.
"My sincere condolences to the families of the deceased members. I have directed the province to afford the families full support during and beyond this time of bereavement,” he said.