Mpumalanga Community Safety, Security and Liaison MEC Pat Ngomane has appealed to community members to help SAPS with any information that may assist in bringing to book suspects who attacked police members around KwaMhlanga today. The incident occurred when the police members from KwaMhlanga Police Station were responding to a crime scene in the area early today (6 November 2017).
It is alleged that a group of ten men stormed into one of the filling stations where they demanded cash from the cashier. While they were inside the filling station, the police arrived. A shootout ensued between the police and the robbers and one police member was shot dead while his counterpart sustained injuries.
Ngomane says: “What is even more dangerous is that the robbers are armed and they have also robbed the police officers of three firearms and therefore they urgently need to be brought to book. Community members should immediately alert the police of any leads that could help with their arrests.”
He has further called on the police to work around the clock to bring the perpetrators to book. According to the MEC, law enforcement officers should also be more vigilant when responding to crime scenes because of the nature of dangerous suspects that they are dealing with.
“Police remain integral part of ensuring that communities are and feel safe. Therefore the attack on law enforcement officers is a sheer disregard for the law and the state. The police should therefore work hard to bring such rogue elements to justice and ultimately to prison,” he said.
At the moment no arrests have been made but cases of murder, attempted murder, business robbery and contravention of Explosive Act are being investigated by the police. “We are also calling on law enforcers not to be discouraged by such barbaric acts but should instead work even harder for the sake of the communities and in honour of all peace officers who die in the line of duty,” said the MEC.
He has also appealed to the Department of Justice to ensure that once the suspects are convicted, they receive lengthy jail terms as this would clearly show government’s zero tolerance towards killing of people, in particular law enforcers
The MEC has further extended his heartfelt condolences to the affected families, friends and colleagues. He has also wished the injured police officer a speedy recovery.
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