Partner of metro cop in fatal Hatfield shooting says he will resign

Details of what transpired when a motorist was shot through the windscreen of his sedan in Hatfield‚ Pretoria‚ during a routine traffic stop are expected to emerge when the suspect‚ Tshwane metro police constable Takatso Mashigo‚ applies for bail on Friday.

On Monday‚ Mashigo‚ 27‚ who is facing a charge of murder in connection with the fatal shooting of Tsakani Shimange‚ 38‚ briefly appeared in a packed Pretoria Magistrates Court.

The state asked for the postponement until Friday to confirm Mashigo's address and whether he has any passport.

The court was packed with family members and friends of the deceased father of two who was killed near the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services offices where he was employed.

A handful of people demonstrated outside the court‚ decrying police and calling for harsher sentences through their placards.

Family member Dumisani Mabunda said they were still in the dark as to what led Mashigo to open fire on Shimange.

“We do not know what happened. We are as in the dark as everybody else‚” she said.

The incident happened on Grosvenor Street‚ near the Hatfield Gautrain station‚ on Friday at around 10am‚ moments after the deceased had reportedly dropped his partner‚ Sibongile Ntlwane‚ 37‚ at Sunnypark Shopping Centre in Sunnyside‚ Pretoria.

Details of what exactly happened are sketchy‚ but it is reported that Shimange failed to stop when he was directed to do so by the metro police officer. The windsreen of Shimange's sedan had a single bullet hole on the driver's side.

Mashigo's partner‚ who was in court‚ said they were conducting a routine traffic stop‚ and that there were four officers in the vicinity‚ including a SAPS member.

“I was approaching where (Mashigo) was when I heard a shot ring out. I am still shocked at what has happened‚ but what I know it is very difficult to work with the public. We are provoked every day by arrogant and violent public. I am handing in my resignation next week‚” said the constable‚ who did not want to be named.

Tshwane metro police spokesperson Superintendent Isaac Mahamba said internal investigations into the incident were under way.

“We will are in full cooperation with the (Independent Police Investigative Directorate) and giving them space to conduct investigations‚” he said.

– TMG Digital