SAPS mourns death of it’s four members

The National Commissioner of the SAPS, General Fannie Masemola has directed the Provincial Commissioner of Gauteng, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela to mobilise maximum resources after three police officers were shot and disarmed of their service pistols during an armed robbery at a filling station in Tembisa during the early hours of Thursday morning.

According Colonel Athlenda Mathe, a group of armed suspects entered a filling station on Andrew Mapheto Drive and robbed the convenience store off an undisclosed amount of money and cigarettes. As the group was about to leave, they noticed a group of police officers entering the filling station.

“They immediately opened fire on three members attached to the Tembisa South Police Station and a security guard. The three members and the security guard sustained multiple gunshot wounds and were also disarmed off their service pistols. All three members and the security guard were taken to hospital for treatment where one of the members sadly died,” said Colonel Mathe.

A manhunt is underway for the group of at least 15 suspects who fled the scene in a Toyota Quantum and Toyota Corolla Prestige. Anyone who knows or may have seen what transpired is urged to contact the Crime Stop Hotline number on 08600 10111. Callers are reminded that they may remain anonymous.

“The SAPS management has also learnt with sadness and dismay the passing on of three members in a fatal motor vehicle accident in Vereeniging on Wednesday morning.  At the time of the accident, the three members from the Vereeniging Police Station were conducting crime prevention patrols when a truck allegedly failed to stop at a four way crossing.”

The truck drove into the SAPS vehicle and dragged the said vehicle for at least 500 metres until it came to a standstill. The three SAPS members were certified dead at the scene.

The three members have been identified as:
58-year-old Captain Shashape Theletsane, a member with 34 years’ service.
54-year-old Warrant Officer Aaron Mfazwe, a member with 26 years’ service.
45-year-old Constable Timothy Mbele who had been serving as a permanent employee for the past eight years, prior to this, the member had been serving as a police reservist for nine years.

The driver of the truck has since been arrested. A case of culpable homicide and reckless and negligent driving is being investigated.

“The death and attack of these members takes place a few days after the annual SAPS Commemoration Day. In the 2021/2022 financial year, 33 members lost their lives in the line of duty. The National Commissioner has sent his condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the four members and wished the two members a speedy recovery,” continued Colonel Mathe

General Masemola says an attack on police officers is an attack on the authority of the State. “We are not going to allow criminals to run amok and do as they wish, we are coming for each one of them. We are closing the net on each person in this country who is found to be on the wrong side of the law”, said General Fannie Masemola.

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