While police unions have welcomed the recent arrest of an alleged police killer, they reiterated calls for such cases to be treated as treason.
CAPE TOWN – While police unions have welcomed the recent arrest of an alleged police killer, they reiterated calls for such cases to be treated equally as treason.
This comes as a 42-year-old man was expected to appear in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on Monday in connection with the murder of 26-year-old Constable Ashwin Pedro.
Pedro was shot and killed in Grassy Park on Thursday afternoon while on duty.
He responded with his partner to information of an armed suspect in Blackbird Avenue.
Police spokesperson Andrè Traut said that during an altercation with the suspect Pedro was shot in the chest.
“The effective and rapid deployment of resources to hunt down the suspect who shot and killed a Grassy Park constable in cold blood led Anti-Gang Unit members to Ravensmead where a 42-year-old man was arrested at his hideout.
“The 9mm pistol he stole during the altercation with the SAPS members was found in his possession and confiscated,” said Traut.
The Hawks were still on the hunt for Mihle Mngambi, also known as “Nzaba”, in connection with the murder of sergeant Sithembiso Mnatwana that happened in Samora Machel in September.
Mnatwana was found lying on his stomach with bullet wounds to his head and upper body.
“On further investigation, the members found that the deceased was a member of the police and that he still had his uniform on. However, he was wearing a black-and-white top over his uniform. The member came from duty and did not have any firearm with him when he was killed,” said Hawks spokesperson Zinzi Hani.
SA Police Union (Sapu) acting deputy general secretary Peter Ntsime condemned the killings, saying one police officer murdered was one too many.
“The government has to play its part and take these killings seriously through tough legislation, no bail, lengthy prison terms and no parole for police killers.
“We feel we are on our own with no support from the government and the very communities we serve.”
Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) provincial secretary Pat Raolane said: “We are very unhappy and concerned that the people we protect 24 hours and supposed to also be protecting us are against us.
“The killing of police officers should be an attack on the State and must be treated as high treason.
“We are calling all the police management to take this issue of restructuring that we have been talking about very seriously.”
The SA Police and Allied Workers Union (Sapawu) also reiterated their call for the killing of police to be treated as treason, and that those who are arrested should wait in prison until their cases were finalised.
“We feel depressed whenever a crime is committed, more especially against SAPS members on and off duty.
“If you can look at situations that the police officials find themselves under, it clearly shows that our government is not willing to assist in minimising police killings.”
