Police officer dead, 2 injured in Delft shooting

Police have stepped up patrols in Delft on the Cape Flats following the fatal shooting of a police constable. Two other police officials were wounded in a shoot-out with a suspect. The suspect was also wounded.

Police spokesperson, FC van Wyk, says the suspect is under police guard in hospital.

“Police management have condemned the incident and vowed to continue to rid the streets of dangerous criminals and illegal firearms. Meanwhile, police in the area have intensified deployment in the area.”

Western Cape Community Safety Minister, Albert Fritz, says the attack on three police officers in Delft is a brazen attack on the state. This comes as the army has been deployed to selected areas to support police in their battle against crime and gangsterism.

Fritz says the provincial government is stepping up its efforts to fight crime.

“We also see this as a very interesting declaration of war by the gang members on the state. We really have to deal with this urgently and investigate properly so that we can have those people behind bars as soon as possible. We also want to call on all our communities to please assist the police with information.”

Delft resident, Sizelwa Gulwa, says they’re now living in fear.

“We are very concerned now that the police are dying while the army is here. We have lost hope and we think that we are not protected as the community. If the police are dying when the army is here. We have lost hope in the government and we think that they should do something about it.”

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