Nine suspects were arrested for the possession of unlicensed firearms in Khayelitsha, two of which were positively identified as belonging to the two police officers killed in Kraaifontein.
The two officers were shot in Kraaifontein while on duty in what is believed to have been an ambush.
Police Minister Bheki Cele said: “This breakthrough is a result of combined efforts of the Hawks together with Crime Intelligence, Flying Squad and the Tactical Response teams is paying off and I am encouraged that the SAPS in the province has taken up the call to find the police killers dead or alive.”
IOL reported that Hawks spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale said Mxoleleni Sokhahla is accused of killing the officers and appeared in Blue Downs Magistrate’s Court and his case was postponed to March 9 for formal bail application.
She said he is facing two counts of murder and one of attempted murder after it was discovered that a 25-year-old woman, a civilian, was also shot during the incident and he remains in custody.
According to the Hawks, during the last quarter of 2020, seven cases of police murders have been reported, and two arrests have been made while five are under investigation in the province.
Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) spokesperson Richard Mamabolo said they are concerned about the killing of police because it is a trend that continues to grow.
He said they have engaged with the minister about the killings to see if they can come up with solutions.
Mamabolo said police are killed either for their firearms arms or the nature of the case they will be working on.
He added that crime is not just a police matter but communities also need to work with them.
Photo: EWN