Three Cape Town men who ambushed and killed two policemen responding to a rape complaint have been convicted - two years later.
The Cape Town High Court yesterday found Sivuyile Songovana, Khangelani Thwala and Olwethu Sotondoshe guilty of murdering Warrant Officer Gershwin Matthee and Constable Cannon Cloete.
But the killing of policemen continues. Seven officers were killed in Cape Town last month. Between January and June, 36 policemen were killed across the country.
Matthee and Cloete were shot in cold blood and robbed of their service pistols in May 2011, in Kraaifontein.
The three men were arrested shortly afterwards, ending a spate of attacks and robberies.
Delivering judgment, Judge Elizabeth Baartman said the men had robbed Khayelitsha resident Patrick Rala of his car and shot him. Rala survived and was able to identify his attackers.
After the attack on Rala, the men had driven to Kraaifontein where they shot the policemen an hour later.
One of the officers was able to shoot back and hit Songovana, who was arrested at Tygerberg Hospital.
Baartman said the evidence against the men was overwhelming.