Johannesburg - A Mpumalanga police officer was shot and bundled in the boot of a car just days after two charred bodies of North West cops were found in their state vehicle.
While the North West officers were not so lucky, the Mpumalanga cop managed to escape with his life to tell the tale.
Police are now hunting for his attackers.
Mpumalanga Police spokesperson Brigadier Leonard Hlathi said the officer in question is a constable based at Bushbuckridge police station.
On Tuesday, July 27, 2021 the cop was on his way home to prepare for his night shift duties when a white Toyota Tazz without registration number abruptly stopped in front of him.
Hlathi said three suspects armed with a firearm, got out of their car and went straight to him.
“They pointed him with the firearm, dragged him out of his car and shot him on his lower body before putting him inside the boot of his car.
“The suspects drove with him and later stopped at Shatale village where they dropped him off on the street. They drove away in his private car which was later found left abandoned at Matsikitsane area in the bushes,” he said.
Passers-by helped the officer who was then taken to hospital for medical treatment. No one has been arrested yet, Hlathi said.
In another incident, three men who have been linked to the hijacking of another police officer have been arrested.
Jerry Sfiso Ubisi, 31, and Fannie Sibande, 37, appeared in the Carolina Magistrate's Court on Wednesday and were remanded in custody.
Hlathi said reports indicate that the two were among a group of three armed men who allegedly hijacked an off duty police constable.
The officer was driving his private vehicle next to the R23 Road near the Balfour/Grootvlei intersection at low speed due to speed humps.
Allegations are that three heavily armed men then appeared in front of his vehicle and pointed firearms at him.
“They then held him hostage and robbed him of his service firearm with ammunition as well as an undisclosed amount of cash, assaulted him and forced him to lie down at the back seat of his vehicle.
“They also took his bank cards, ID document and other belongings. The suspects are said to have then dropped him off next to the road near Vosloorus and drove away with the stolen items and his vehicle as well as his service firearm.”
The suspects later took out the number plates off the officer’s vehicle and replaced them with false ones.
However, the car tracking company and the police spotted the vehicle being used by the suspects to tow a silver grey Ford Fiesta sedan which seemed to have had a breakdown.
“Upon noticing the security forces, one suspect escaped whilst the two were cornered. Police opened a case accordingly and locked the men up, charged them hence they were remanded in custody during their first court appearance. The third suspect is still at large and sought by police,” Hlathi said.
Police urge anyone with information that may assist them in tracing the whereabouts of the suspects who hijacked the officer in Bushbuckridge to contact Detective Lieutenant Colonel Albert Manzini at 082 469 1031, or call the Crime Stop number at 08600 10111.
Alternatively members of the public can send information via MYSAPS app. All received information will be treated as confidential and callers may opt to remain anonymous.
The Mpumalanga Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Semakaleng Manamela has welcomed the arrests made and also ordered for the arrest of the remaining suspects.
“The attack on any law enforcement official is an attack against the state and it will never be tolerated or go unpunished. We are adamant that the other suspects will be brought to book soon,” said General Manamela.