The Acting National Commissioner of the South African Police Service‚ Lieutenant-General Lesetja Mothiba‚ has strongly condemned the recent armed attacks on police stations resulting in the deaths of two constables and the wounding of a sergeant.
On Wednesday‚ suspects entered the Lingelethu West Police Station in Khayelitsha in the Western Cape in the early hours of the morning and shot a sergeant on duty in the face. The suspects fled when other police officers returned fire.
In the early hours of Thursday morning‚ the bodies of two on-duty constables were found in the community service centre of the Koffiefontein Police Station in the Free State. Both had been shot and were found when their colleagues returned from patrol duties.
“Attacks on members of the South African Police Service are unacceptable and armed assaults on police stations should be condemned by all sectors of our society‚” said Mothiba. “A police station is a place where community members go to seek help or to report a crime; these premises are safe havens for victims and the communities we serve. It is shocking that the criminal element enter with firearms and injure and kill police officials in this manner‚” he added.
“We offer our most heartfelt condolences to the families of the two constables who were killed earlier today and wish our wounded colleague a speedy recovery. We can assure them that the South African Police Service will not rest until the perpetrators are brought to book‚” Mothiba said
He called on communities to support the South African Police Service and assist it in “ensuring the safety of our officers by reporting any information on the thugs who carry out attacks on or murders of our members”.
He said information can be given at any police station or by calling the Crime Stop number 08600 10111 or sending a text message to Crime Line on 32211‚ anonymously if need be.
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