A policeman lost his life in one of two incidents that took place in eThekwini on Tuesday afternoon. Eight suspects were shot, four of them fatally, in these incidents. Police Minister Bheki Cele expressed his condolences, stating, “We have just lost a member at the level of warrant officer. And another member is in hospital, he is stable.”
According to Cele, the police shot and killed four criminals at the second crime scene. These suspects were believed to be responsible for a series of murders in the area.
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Cele revealed, “I have a list of 12 murders in September and October only by these suspects. We are saying, as police, it can only be blood that should be the price for the member that is [lying] here.”
At the first crime scene in nearby Mzinyathi, four other suspects were shot by the police. Cele expressed his concern, stating, “It is clear that criminals have declared war not just on the police but on the community, including those involved in community policing forums. I am worried these are the groups that sit down and plot against the police.”
Cele also mentioned a recent arrest made by the police in Northern Cape. A group of seven suspects, all foreigners, were running drug operations and allegedly planning to eliminate police officers. When the police apprehended the criminals, they discovered a large number of rounds of ammunition in their possession. Cele emphasized the need to tighten firearm laws and ammunition regulations to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future.
