The murder of four people, including two police officers, in Hammarsdale on Saturday, was condemned by the KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
“It is very sad indeed to attend scenes of crime where police officers are gunned down just because they have responded to the call of duty,” Mkhwanazi said in a statement.
“The swift arrest of a suspect in this case is commended. I would like to extend my condolences to the families of our fallen heroes.”
According to the statement, on Saturday at around 7.30pm, three police officers responded to the murder of a woman at the Cliffdale area, in Hammarsdale.
While the police officers were attending to the crime scene, it is alleged that the perpetrator returned and opened fire on the police officers, fatally wounding two of them.
The suspect is further alleged to have shot another elderly woman at the scene before fleeing.
The two police officers, who are in their 50s, were from the Hammarsdale Police Station while the third police officer that was at the scene was not injured during the shooting.
"Following the immediate mobilisation of all available disciplines within the South African Police Service (Saps), the team received information of a man fitting the description of the suspect receiving medical attention at a nearby hospital," the statement said.
Police officers responded and placed a 38-year-old suspect under arrest pending a further investigation.
IOL