Police union says killings of cops points to crisis
This follows the deaths of three police officers at the weekend — two detectives from the Florida police station in Gauteng and a crime prevention officer from the Schoemansdal police station in Mpumalanga.
Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union spokesperson Richard Mamabolo said the continuous killing of police officers was a deeply concerning and painful reality for the union.
'The loss of three officers since Friday is not just a statistic, it is a reflection of the dangerous conditions under which our members operate daily, and it leaves lasting scars on their families, colleagues and society at large.
'We believe that the killings of police officers must be treated as a national priority crime, with dedicated investigative capacity and harsher consequences for perpetrators. Ultimately, if those who risk their lives to protect our communities are not safe then the fight against crime is severely compromised.'
Warrant Officer Vuyisile Sintwa, 51, a detective attached to the Johannesburg Trio Task Team and Sgt Simon Masenye, 45, were killed on Friday.
Police are offering a reward of up to R150,000 for information that could lead to the arrest of Jabulani Thabang Moyo, who allegedly shot and killed the officers while they were transporting him from the Roodepoort magistrate's court.
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