A police officer from Reitz in the Free State has been murdered. Police say the 32-year-old female constable phoned her colleagues in the early hours of Saturday morning alleging that her boyfriend was assaulting her.
A search ensued which resulted in her body being found. Police spokesperson Motantsi Makhele says the woman’s 31-year-old boyfriend has been arrested and will appear in the Reitz Magistrate’s Court on a charge of murder.
“It is alleged that the deceased called her colleagues in the early hours of 21 August 2021 at about 02:15, seeking assistance, alleging that her boyfriend was assaulting her. The two police constables, who were off duty with the sergeant who was on duty at a time, went to search for her. At about 06:00, her body was found lying behind the wall near a swimming pool in Reitz. It is suspected that she was strangled to death. Both the deceased and suspect were in a relationship but not staying together.”
Free State Police Commissioner Baile Motswenyane has expressed shock over the murder of the constable. Motswenyane lamented the murder as senseless, especially during a month when the country is supposed to celebrate the strides made by women.
Motswenyane called on members of the SAPS to use Employee Wellness services when they encounter challenges in their relationships.
Crime stats
Five thousand people have been murdered in South Africa between April and June this year. A further ten thousand were rape. This emerged during a presentation of police’s quarterly crime statistics on Friday. Murder, rape, car hijacking and armed robbery are some of the crimes showing less or no levels of decrease. 32 police officers also lost their lives in the line of duty, while nine were killed off duty.
Police Minister Bheki Cele says contact crimes have increased by a staggering 60 percent in the country. He says cash-in-transit robberies, as well as murders, are also on the increase. Cele described the country’s crime levels as dismal. He told the media the situation needs urgent redress.
“Contact crime, sexual offences, aggravated robberies contact related and property related crimes have recorded a never seen before double digits increase. Between April-21 to end of June 2021, 5 000 people were killed in South Africa. This is 2 294 more people killed compared to the corresponding period in the previous financial year.”
The police minister also lamented the ongoing attacks on police. He says 32 police officers have died at the hands of criminals. Cele condemned police officers who are caught on the wrong side of the law.
“The national commissioner has sanctioned urgent probe into allegations of theft of firearms by police members at the Norwood Police Station allegedly used by CIT gangs. This is in line with the national clean-up campaign. A total of 32 SAPS members have been killed in the first quarter of 2021/2022 financial year. Nine of them died in the line of duty.”
Four arrested for murder in Eastern Cape
Four suspects have been arrested for the murder of a 72-year-old woman from Lumayeni location in Lusikisiki, Eastern Cape.
It is alleged that four men arrived at the house while the woman and her daughter were asleep. One suspect allegedly shot the daughter, and another suspect stabbed the mother several times. Police spokesperson Kaya Matola-Mvanyashe says the daughter managed to run outside, saw the suspect’s vehicle leaving the homestead and alerted the neighbours.
The vehicle was found stuck next to a school with all four suspects inside. Matola-Mvanyashe says the suspects were arrested and a firearm was recovered. Police are investigating a case of murder.
