Pretoria - A traffic officer allegedly shot and killed his 30-year-old girlfriend in Limpopo before turning the gun on himself.
The incident happened on Tuesday along Alma road outside Bela-Bela.
Limpopo police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said the 45-year-old officer was attached to Bela-Bela Municipality.
“He was reportedly on duty along the R101 road when he apparently left the place. He was (later) found dead with a bullet wound by the police in a motor vehicle and his alleged partner was also found lying dead on the ground next to the said vehicle,” said Mojapelo.
A passing motorist alerted police to the scene, after witnessing the uniformed officer shoot himself.
“(The motorist) stopped next to the vehicle, apparently thinking the woman lying on the ground was the victim of an accident that might have just happened,” Mojapelo said.
“When approaching the scene, the uniformed traffic officer sitting inside the vehicle allegedly shot himself dead.”
The officer allegedly used his service pistol in the shootings.
Mojapelo said police in Limpopo had opened a case of murder and investigations were still continuing.
Limpopo Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nneke Ledwaba condemned the incident, urging people to seek professional assistance when faced with domestic or relationship challenges instead of resorting to violence.
In January, a sergeant in the VIP protection unit of the South African Police Service was sentenced to 25 years direct imprisonment for the double murder of his girlfriend and an Uber driver.
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate secured the successful conviction of Sergeant Geshwin Sweni at the high court in Johannesburg.
On the fateful day, Sweni allegedly had an argument with his girlfriend at his father’s house in Edenpark. The woman then decided to leave and called an Uber car to come and fetch her.
As the vehicle was driving away, Sweni followed and shot at it, killing the occupants.
IOL