The Portfolio Committee on Police has welcomed the breakthrough by a police service task team on Friday night that resulted in the arrest of 10 individuals suspected to have been involved the Ngcobo Police station attack in the Eastern Cape.

The Hawks confirmed that seven suspects were killed at a church in Ngcobo last night, during a gun battle between the suspects and the police.

A police multi-disciplinary team is probing the shooting and killing of five police officers and a retired soldier at the police station in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

 

Police Committee Chair, Francois Beukman has commended police for their work.

“We welcome the breakthrough by the SAPS task team last night with the arrest of ten suspects and the confiscation of a large number of weapons. The portfolio committee also notes that seven suspects were killed. The committee wishes the task team member that was wounded in the incident a speedy recovery. The task team comprised of different SAPS units should be commended for the breakthrough. We trust that the other suspects will be apprehended soon,” says Beukman.

Meanwhile, the Hawks have commended police officers for meeting police minister, Fikile Mbalula’s 72-hour deadline to arrest the suspects.

 

Hawks spokesperson Hangwani Mulaudzi has encouraged anyone with information related to the incident to contact the police.

“We always try and encourage them to call our 08600 10111 number. They would remain anonymous and confidential. We would really be assisted in tracing the other suspects. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that there is nothing that we are doing. The police will be going out to track the others. So hopefully we would have a breakthrough as well,” adds Mulaudzi.