The Management of the South African Police Service in the Eastern Cape is saddened by the death of an off-duty police officer in Mount Frere this morning.
The incident took place around midnight at Dangwana Administration Area (Toleni Location), when Sergeant Siyabulela Mtati, 42yrs, responded to loud noises outside his yard. He went to investigate, and noticed a vehicle with male occupants arguing outside his yard. In an attempt to intervene, one of the occupants in the vehicle withdrew a firearm and fatally wounded the officer.
The suspects fled the scene immediately in the vehicle after the incident occurred.
Members of the Mount Frere Detectives and Visible Policing worked around the clock to bring the perpetrators to book within 24hrs. Intelligence driven information led to the arrest of two suspects aged 25 and 30 years in Qumbu. A 9mm pistol and ammunition were confiscated, believed to have been used in the murder case.
The full circumstances surrounding the incident are still under investigation.
The Provincial Commissioner of the Eastern Cape, Lieutenant General Liziwe Ntshinga applauded the swift response of the members who arrested the suspects within 24hrs of the incident. This is a clear indication that our activation plan for maximum mobilisation of the deployments of our internal teams has paid off. “We view the attacks of police officers, who have chosen to serve and protect our communities, as a serious matter of concern. These attacks seem to continue unabated and it should be strongly condemned by all sectors of society.
Our members will not turn a blind eye when their own are being killed, she said.
An attack on one officer is an attack on the nation. We cannot remain silent when those who are out there, risking their lives to protect us, are killed.
We are devastated as a police family and wish to express our deepest condolences to the family and colleagues of the member. This has been a traumatic and unbearable incident to the family of the officer and we as management will be providing professional support and our assistance to the family during this time.
Let us speak out about these heinous crimes, and let us do so in memory of those who have already died at the hands of criminals.