CAPE TOWN - National Police Commissioner Lt-Gen Khehla John Sitole has condemned the killing and attack on SAPS members in Delft in Cape Town in the early hours of Sunday morning.
"During the early hours of [Sunday] morning, three constables were attacked by a lone gunman at Delft South, resulting in the death of one member and two others being wounded," Sitole's office said in a statement.
The three constables were on patrol duty when the suspect opened fire on them. One officer died instantly after being shot in the head while the second officer was wounded above his left eye, and the third in his arm.
Shortly after that incident the suspect attacked a second police vehicle a street away from the first incident. SAPS officers retaliated and shot the suspect in his left leg and he was subsequently arrested. The suspect was currently in hospital under police guard. The two wounded police officers had also been hospitalised and were receiving medical attention.
Sitole condemned the killing and attack, saying the suspect would face the full might of the law. "The attack on our police officers this morning [Sunday] must be condemned in the strongest possible terms by all members of society." He also conveyed his condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of the dead officer and wished the two wounded colleagues a speedy recovery.
"The efforts by the joint security forces to stabilise the areas of the Western Cape metropole will continue as planned and we will stop at nothing to ensure that innocent people are and feel safe," Sitole said.
He implored all communities to support the joint security force deployment by providing information on crime. All information could be communicated to the police toll free crime stop number 08600-10111. Callers may remain anonymous and all information would be treated with strictest confidence.
Earlier on Sunday, Western Cape SAPS spokesman Captain FC van Wyk said officers on crime prevention duties in the area came under fire in the early hours. The suspect subsequently fled, and a second police patrol vehicle responding to the shooting was also shot at by the same suspect.
They returned fire and wounded the 24-year-old suspect, who was currently under police guard in hospital. A firearm was seized. Fellow officers from the police station were receiving trauma counselling, he said.
Police had intensified deployment in the area. Police management had condemned the incident and vowed to continue to rid the streets of Cape Town of dangerous criminals and illegal firearms, Van Wyk said.