POLICE are still searching for several suspects involved in last Thursday night’s armed robbery at a wholesaler in Harding.
Two policemen and a security officer were killed in the incident.
Police spokesman Colonel Jay Naicker said three officers from Harding SAPS responded to an alarm that went off at a shop in the town at about 9.30pm.
“There was an armed robbery in progress and when the officers drove towards the shop, gunmen opened fire on the police vehicle. The vehicle caught alight and the robbers fled the scene,” said Colonel Naicker.
He added that bystanders managed to rescue a female police officer from the van. The other two officers died in the blazing vehicle.
The officers have been identified as Constable Mpendulo Welcome Jaca (37) and Constable Zamukwanda Wiseman Majoka (34).
On Friday the National Commissioner of Police, General Riah Phiyega and a delegation of top management visited the officers’ families.
Gen Phiyega said, “Yet another shooting where our police colleagues have fallen at the hands of criminals. We are deeply saddened by the loss. When you kill a police officer you are killing a nation therefore we will stop at nothing to bring the killers to book.”
The National Commissioner has tasked a multidisciplinary team, including crime intelligence and the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (Hawks) to investigate.
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