Communities should assist to end police killings says MEC Shongwe
Police remain integral part of ensuring that communities are and feel safe. Therefore the attack on law enforcement officers is a sheer disregard for the law and the state.
MBOMBELA- Mpumalanga Community Safety, Security and Liaison MEC Vusi Shongwe has called on communities to assist government in bringing an end to police killings.
Shongwe’s comments follows the killing of one of the SAPS members in the province, W/O King Ntuli. The officer was attacked by unknown suspects on Friday,July 8 at Belfast in the Bushbuckridge Municipality.
It is alleged that Ntuli was shot four times while he was in his car. Ntuli was stationed at Calcutta Police Station. The suspects left his body next to the gravel road and drove away with his car.
It has also emerged that Ntulu’s service firearm is also missing and this fuels the suspicion that it may have been taken by the suspects after killing him.
MEC Shongwe also added that the police are enforcers of the law and protectors of the community and therefore anybody who attacks the police is attacking the state.
He said that the police should work hard to ensure that the perpetrators are swiftly brought to book so that they face the consequences of their horrific acts.
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He has also appealed to the Criminal Justice departments to ensure that once the suspects are convicted, they should receive lengthy jail terms as this would clearly show the criminals’ government’s zero tolerance towards killing of people, in particular law enforcers.
“Police remain integral part of ensuring that communities are and feel safe. Therefore the attack on law enforcement officers is a sheer disregard for the law and the state. The police should therefore work hard to bring such rogue elements to justice and ultimately to prison,” he said.
Although no suspects have been arrested at the moment, Shongwe has also called on communities to assist the police with any information that may lead to the arrest of the suspects. He said communities should be aware that those who kill police are directly attacking the Constitution of the republic.
He said that community members should appreciate the police because without them no effective crime prevention will take place.
The MEC has further extended his heartfelt condolences to the Ntuli’s family, friends and colleagues. “The Hawks as the leading investigating agency in this case should work hard to crack this matter in memory of Ntuli and other officers who perished before him,” he said.
