The widow of 35-year-old Constable Okaetse Mandindi, who was fatally shot on Tuesday after tracing a stolen vehicle, said she cannot imagine a future without her husband in it.
THE WIDOW of 35-year-old Constable Okaetse Mandindi, who was fatally shot on Tuesday after tracing a stolen vehicle, said she does not want to think about the details of her husband’s passing.
A weeping Kelebogile Mandindi said she cannot imagine a future without her husband in it.
“He was my best friend … we were always together. We met in high school and have since then been inseparable. We were together for 17 years and married for six years. I cannot see a tomorrow without him. I do not even know where to start,” said Kelebogile.
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“I have not been sleeping or even thinking that he is gone. I do not want to sleep as I might just find myself thinking about him and realise that he is never going to come home.
“My wish is that he should be here physically – by my side and raising our children like we did all these past years. I do not want a memory of him, I want him.”
Mandindi said her three children have been crying for their father.
“We have three children, a 15-year-old girl and two boys who are 10 and five years old respectively. Since we got the news of this horrible, unbelievable incident, they have been asking me where their father is. I do not know how to answer that question.
“It feels like I have been left in a dark room all alone. I do not even know how I will face the future and raise these children. I have been left all alone. I cannot imagine what I will do – I just do not know anything now. Things were not supposed to go this way,” she wept.
Constable Mandindi and his 45-year-old colleague, Sergeant Kedimetse Masilo, who were attached to the Kimberley Flying Squad, were shot and killed by a 38-year-old suspect after they responded to information about a hired motor vehicle that was allegedly stolen and was en route from Bloemfontein.
After spotting the vehicle in Kimberley, the two officers chased after it. They followed the vehicle into the Transnet premises near the Diamond Pavilion Mall, where suspect crashed into a ditch.
The suspect fled the scene on foot and the officers continued to give chase on foot.
Reports state that the suspect managed to disarm Masilo of her R5 rifle and shot her and Mandindi.
The Minister of Police, Bheki Cele, visited the families of the two deceased officers earlier this week to pay his condolences.
Cele said that the law needs to be tougher on hardened criminals.
“The suspect in this matter came into conflict with the law in 2014. He was again arrested in 2016 for fraud, but the case was withdrawn. During the same year, 2016, he was arrested for drug trafficking. That case was also withdrawn. He had another fraud case, which was also withdrawn. We are dealing with someone who should have never been out on the streets. Judging from his criminal record, it is clear the police have placed the suspect in the hands of the law several times, but the law has repeatedly released him,” Cele said.
He added that the suspect was “brutal” in his actions.
“It is unfortunate that the members were killed with their own service weapon. This criminal took the R5 rifle and shot and killed the two officers … we now have to bury two young people. This criminal shot each officer four times,” said Cele.
“During his arrest, we discovered the suspect had his own firearm. What was concerning and painful was that this man was supposed to be in prison. He has been arrested eight times and several times his cases were withdrawn. Even when he was found guilty, we discovered that his sentences were suspended and the fines were also suspended.
“He committed crime in several parts of the country – in the Eastern Cape, Gauteng and now in the Northern Cape where he killed our members. We hope this time around the court and justice system will be stronger in keeping the suspect behind bars and ensure he is not a person who will be afforded a chance to be roaming around, as he has caused a lot of damage by killing the two members.”
Cele said the justice system needs to take note of the trauma and impact that these events have on the victims’ loved ones.
“Mandindi’s youngest child is still sitting on the lap of his wife. These children are left with burdens. There might be properties and belongings these parents left to their children, however, some of those things can be repossessed. Some of the children of the fallen officers find themselves without any financial assistance and are left destitute. The criminals in these cases are then better off than the victims.
“The criminals get a lawyer from the State if they cannot afford one; they get hot water and even opportunities to further their studies. Everyone then forgets about the children and the victims whose lives were interrupted and who do not have access to these opportunities given to criminals.
“We need to remember that there is a human face in cases and not just see the killing of police officers as just another story. No child should lose a parent in this manner,” Cele said.
