Policeman shot dead while hunting down 'rapist' near Pretoria

Police officer Ruben Dumisani Tshabalala was killed while on the trail of a "rapist" north of Pretoria.

National police spokesperson Brig Vishnu Naidoo said in a statement on Thursday that Tshabalala was on duty on Monday night in Soshanguve extension 6 when he was killed around 8.30pm.

Tshabalala was an investigator in the police's family violence, child protection and sexual offences (FCS) investigations unit.

"When police arrived at the scene, they found Tshabalala with a gunshot wound to his upper body, as well as another man with a gunshot wound to his chin," Naidoo said.

Tshabalala died in hospital.

"The other wounded man is currently in hospital under police guard until we can verify exactly what role this man had played in the incident … It is believed that the rape suspect Tshabalala was looking to arrest may have shot him," Naidoo said.

The police recovered Tshabalala's service pistol and work car at the scene.

National police commissioner Gen Khehla John Sitole said on Thursday the police will set up a multi-disciplinary team to search for the suspect.