Police Minister Bheki Cele has called on KwaZulu-Natal communities to assist the South African Police Service track the killers of four officers murdered across the province in the past week.
The Minister visited the province on Thursday following the brutal murders of Sergeant Makhosaze Mdlangathi, Sergeant Mfikelwa Mtolo, Constable Royal Mfihloyakhe Ndlovu and Constable Mbuso Nzimela.
Mdlangathi and Mtolo, who were stationed at the Plessislar and Richmond stations, were gunned down in an ambush by unknown gunmen in Taylors Halt in the Umngungundlovu District over the weekend.
Ndlovu was shot dead in Chatsworth while responding to a domestic violence complaint.
“Upon entering the house of the complainant, 44- year- old Ndlovu was shot in the chest, and died on the scene,” police said in a statement.
Nzimela died after he was assault and stabbed.
Cele, who believes police officers were under siege in KZN, said while no arrests have been made, the motives for the murders are being investigated by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation.
He said: “We can’t have four of our officers in a mortuary and that is treated as normal, whether they are on or off duty, it is clear they are targeted by criminals who are hell-bent on terrorising society. It is also very worrying that these attacks occur mostly in Kwa Zulu-Natal and the Western Cape provinces and we want to appeal to communities to continue to assist police with any information that can track down these killers and bring them to book.”
Meanwhile, Cele visited the scene of the family massacre in Eshowe. It is alleged that on Saturday, a suspect armed with a pistol killed six family members aged between 8 and 70.
Cele in the statement praised the speedy arrest of a suspect in connection with the multiple murders. – SAnews.gov.za
