Police have condemned the recent deadly attacks on officers, saying if the same officers who risk their lives to protect citizens are not safe then the fight against crime is severely compromised
This follows the deaths of three police officers at the weekend — two detectives from the Florida police station in Gauteng and a crime prevention officer from the Schoemansdal police station in Mpumalanga.
Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union spokesperson Richard Mamabolo said the continuous killing of police officers was a deeply concerning and painful reality for the union.
“The loss of three officers since Friday is not just a statistic, it is a reflection of the dangerous conditions under which our members operate daily, and it leaves lasting scars on their families, colleagues and society at large.
“We believe that the killings of police officers must be treated as a national priority crime, with dedicated investigative capacity and harsher consequences for perpetrators. Ultimately, if those who risk their lives to protect our communities are not safe then the fight against crime is severely compromised.”
Warrant Officer Vuyisile Sintwa, 51, a detective attached to the Johannesburg Trio Task Team and Sgt Simon Masenye, 45, were killed on Friday.
Police are offering a reward of up to R150,000 for information that could lead to the arrest of Jabulani Thabang Moyo, who allegedly shot and killed the officers while they were transporting him from the Roodepoort magistrate’s court.
Sgt Lawrence Dumisani Mtshweni from Mpumalanga was among a group of police officers who were responding to a business robbery at Usave shopping centre at Schoemansdal when he was shot on Saturday morning.
According to police, in the past financial year, 27 officers died in the line of duty.
Since April this year, six more officers have been killed in criminal attacks and ambushes.
Mamabolo said the killings point to a broader crisis in the state of crime and crime prevention in the country. “They reflect the persistence of violent criminality, the prevalence of firearms in the wrong hands and the fact that law enforcement officers are often targeted precisely because they represent the rule of law. In many cases officers are attacked while off duty, which shows how their risk extends beyond their working hours,” he said.
While there have been moments where crime statistics have reflected marginal decreases in certain categories, the sustained targeting of law enforcement shows that more decisive and coordinated action is needed.
— Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union spokesperson Richard Mamabolo
SA African police union national spokesperson Lesiba Thobakgale said there was “no political will” to declare police killings as treason.
"Police officers are representing the state, and the state must take measures to protect the protectors, as an attack on police or law enforcement officers is an attack on the State. The continuous attack on police officers means the State is under attack,” Thobakgale said.
“There can never be a decrease on police killings that can be appreciated. We [would] rather celebrate a zero number on police and law enforcement officers being reported every quarter."
According to Mamabolo, the rate of attacks on officers remained unacceptably high.
“While there have been moments where crime statistics have reflected marginal decreases in certain categories, the sustained targeting of law enforcement shows that more decisive and coordinated action is needed. This requires not only better resourcing of the police — including training, equipment, and staffing — but also stronger community–police partnerships to rebuild trust, gather intelligence and prevent attacks before they happen.
On Saturday, national police commissioner Fannie Masemola visited the families of the slain Gauteng officers.
“Indeed, we cannot remain silent, and it cannot be business as usual when criminals have clearly declared war on the authority of the state.
“I am making this call again to all police officers in the country: do not die with the tools and resources that we have given you. The men and women in blue must act appropriately when circumstances allow them to act. Remember to always use force that is proportional to the threat.
“I plead with you, do not let your guard down, always be a step ahead of these criminals to ensure the safety and security of the people of this country," Masemola said.
On Sunday he visited Mtshweni’s family in Mpumalanga. He also said one person has since been arrested in connection with the officer’s murder.
The acting minister of police, Prof Firoz Cachalia, also visited the families of the two detectives in Roodepoort on Sunday.
He said: “These senseless acts of violence against our men and women in blue are an attack on the rule of law and on the safety of all South Africans. We strongly condemn these heinous crimes, and we will not rest until those responsible are brought to justice.
“We call on all SAPS members to remain alert at all times and to make full and appropriate use of the tools of trade issued to them.”
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