Police captain commits suicide after killing girlfriend and her brother
The incident happened in Protea, Soweto, on Saturday night, 26 July.
South African Police Service (SAPS) spokesperson in Gauteng, colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said it is alleged that the group was at home celebrating the birthday of the captain's girlfriend, who is also a police officer.
'The captain reportedly called the girlfriend to the side, and that is when people saw him draw a firearm, and shoot her and her brother dead while three other civilians sustained injuries. He then turned the gun on himself,' Nevhuhulwi explained.
Two counts of murder, three counts of attempted murder and an inquest docket were opened at Protea police station for further investigation.
Meanwhile Gauteng police commissioner Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni expressed his sadness at this incident and sent his heartfelt condolences to the affected families.
'We give our members these tools to protect themselves against criminals, so it is very disheartening to see the very same tools being used to kill their loved ones. I urge our members to make use of employee health and wellness facilities to assist them to deal with any problems they may be facing, whether work or personal, EHW is always there', Mthombeni said.
Recently, the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (POPCRU) called on the SAPS to strengthen its mental health and wellness support programmes for officers, following a tragic incident involving one of its own.
A female police constable, Ntombethemba Mgidi, appeared in the Port Shepstone Magistrate's Court on Monday, 22 July, after being arrested in connection with the fatal shootings of two fellow officers in the Mbayimbayi area near Murchison on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast last week.
Both victims later died from their injuries at Murchison Hospital.
'This act of violence highlights the urgent need for SAPS to intensify internal wellness and psychological support programmes that help members manage relational and emotional pressures,' said POPCRU spokesperson Richard Mamabolo.
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