Robbery suspects kill police officer in Limpopo

A police officer has been shot and killed during a confrontation with suspects at a business robbery at Maebani village outside Louis Trichardt in Limpopo. Police say constable Rabelani Netshivhambe and his colleague were attending to a complaint at a spaza shop last night when they chased the suspects.

It’s alleged that one of the suspects shot Netshivhambe when they were confronted. Netshivhambe succumbed to his injuries in hospital. Police say one of the suspects has been arrested.

Officers killed in the recent past

Meanwhile, Gauteng police have launched a manhunt for an unknown number of suspects following the killing of a police officer in Alexandra north of Johannesburg on Tuesday night. 

Sergeant Moshela Mokhuba was allegedly killed during a shootout with hijackers near the Pan African Mall, just before 19:00.  

It’s understood that Mokhuba was in pursuit of a stolen bakkie when the incident occurred.  

He was declared dead on the scene.  

An off-duty police constable has been shot and killed in Delft on the Cape Flats.

The 40-year-old officer was based at the Mowbray Police Station.

The shooting incident occurred in Ravel Street in Delft South on Friday (19 March).

The Hawks detectives are investigating the incident.

POPCRU distraught over police killings across the country

Last month the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (POPCRU) said it is distraught over the continuous reports of police killings in the country.

The union’s remarks come just hours after two police officers were gunned down during a routine Crime Prevention operation in Bloekombos, Kraaifontein, in the Western Cape.

Their firearms and a cellphone are missing, while nine cartridges were found on the scene.

“These senseless killings take place just after the cowardice shooting of two Pietermaritzburg police officers, Sergeants Makhosazane Mdlangathi and Mfikelwa Mtolo died in a hail of bullets last Saturday after being ambushed by gunmen, while another officer, Constable Ndlovu, who is being buried, was also fatally wounded after responding to a domestic abuse complaint in Chatsworth.”

Popcru is urging police officers to remain vigilant and to act decisively when under attack.

“We lastly call on the South African Police Service (SAPS) management to urgently kick-start the process of restructuring and for the amendment of the Criminal Procedure Act so it allows police officers to defend themselves in line with the law,” Mamabolo says.

The union has also reiterated its call for police killings to be considered high treason.

During the 2019/2020 period, at least 77 police officers were killed. Some were on duty while others were off at the time of the killings.