Mystery surrounds slaying of two Durban Metro cops
|Published
Two Durban metro police officers were shot dead in Hammarsdale yesterday morning, in a suspected hit. The officers were on their way to work when they were gunned down. LEON LESTRADE African News Agency (ANA) Two Durban metro police officers were shot dead in Hammarsdale yesterday morning, in a suspected hit. The officers were on their way to work when they were gunned down. LEON LESTRADE African News Agency (ANA)
Durban - TWO families, one community and the Durban metro police fraternity are mourning the loss of two metro police officers who were killed in a suspected hit in Hammarsdale, Mpumalanga, north of Durban, on Tuesday.
Lindokuhle Madonsela, 35, and Ndumiso Thusi, 24, who were stationed at the Durban beachfront, died at the scene early Tuesday.
Thusi had picked up Madonsela and they were barely on their way when they were shot.
The policemen were killed a few steps away from the spot where ANC Youth League branch secretary Thamsanqa Gcabashe was shot dead at his friend and colleague’s home, on May 25. He was buried last week.
Before investigators opened the car doors to assess the officers and place them inside the mortuary van, locals gathered at the scene and sang hymns.
Hawks KZN spokesperson Captain Simphiwe Mhlongo said the motive for the killings was unknown.
Metro police spokesperson Senior Superintendent Parboo Sewpersad said they were alerted to the shooting a little after 5am. He, too, was unaware of what had led to the officers’ murders.
“They started their careers two years ago when we had the first recruitment process and exercise,” said Sewpersad.
Madonsela’s uncle, Mduduzi Zakwe, said the family was also mystified by the shooting. Madonsela was a churchgoer and worked as a pastor, he said.
“We’re very shocked. It has hit the family hard. We don’t know what happened. Madonsela was the breadwinner. He was his mother’s last hope, so it’s very difficult,” Zakwe said.
He said Madonsela had four children and was a good father.
Zakwe added that his nephew had been involved in politics, assisted in the ANC Youth League and was friends with the murdered Gcabashe.
Ward councillor Lucky Mngwengwe said he did not think the shooting was politically motivated. He was, nevertheless, concerned by the manner in which the shootings happened.
“They were well respected in the community. They were metro police, young guys who had started their careers. We’re upset that the municipality is adding police, yet we are also losing police who were helpful in the municipality,” he said.
Community Safety and Liaison MEC Bheki Ntuli and mayor Mxolisi Kaunda condemned the killing of the officers and called for a swift investigation, and the arrest of those responsible. They also called on witnesses to come forward and assist the police with their enquiries.
Ntuli said the brazen attack and killing of the officers was a direct attack on the rule of law.
“I have directed the South African Police Service to leave no stone unturned in working to rid our society of criminal elements and bring the perpetrators of this heinous crime to book. I have also tasked police to escalate this case so that it can be investigated by a provincial task team,” said Ntuli.
Kaunda was “deeply disturbed” by the murders. “We are calling for more collaboration with our communities to curb this scourge of police killings.”
ANC Youth League regional secretary Thinta Cibane said they were shocked and upset by Madonsela’s killing.
“Two weeks ago, when Gcabashe died, we raised the issue that there is a problem in Hammarsdale. It’s possibly the sixth member in that area of Inchanga or Hammarsdale who has died in such a manner,” he said.
Cibane said they felt the criminal justice system was failing them because they had tried to put families’ and the communities’ minds at ease by calling for faith to be placed in the police, but a week had not passed when there was another shooting.
“The escalation is from 2017/18; that’s when we started to see more of these cases,” he said, naming Dumisani Moyo, Sibusiso Maphumulo and Bongani Mkhize among those gunned down.