Cop killers should get no-parole life sentences

Judith Mafafo was just 17 when her police officer father went off to work an overtime shift on his day off. He never came back and, after 20 years in the service, he ended up as another statistic, murdered on duty.

Now 21, Judith told an anti-police killing event in Tshwane this week that “when you kill a police officer, we are robbed of moments with our fathers”.

Her poignant words were a reminder that, despite the dreadful image our police service has, there are many hard-working, honest cops out there who are prepared to lay down their lives in serving their communities.

Those dedicated people do not get enough recognition, but the corrupt and illegal ways of some of their comrades should not blind us to their sacrifice.

At the same time, we believe now is the moment for our lawmakers to bring in legislation to designate the killing of a police member on duty as an extraordinary crime.

Such a crime should be punishable by a mandatory, no-parole-allowed sentence … and we suggest that life behind bars would not be too excessive.

We have to let cop killers know they will not get away with it.

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