The South African Policing Union (SAPU) has repeated its call for the government to treat police killings as acts of treason.
This came after Port Shepstone High Court handed Monde Nyathi a 25-year-old a prison sentence for the murder of Mzimasi Hloba on Thursday.
Nyathi shot Hloba who was a 28-year-old student constable during a robbery on the R56 Main Road near Ibisi last year.
Hloba, was travelling with a friend when they lost control of their vehicle and when he stepped out of the car to inspect the damage, he was robbed by a group of men then, Nyathi fired the fatal shots before running away.
SAPU’s Provincial Secretary Astrid Eastthorpe says they are pleased with the outcome which led the suspect into custody. He said as SAPU they welcome the sentencing of these members of the barbaric attacks on police.
“We welcome the fact that there is justice to the family that endured such heartache through the ordeal, a student constable who worked at the Kokstad Police Station, had his whole life ahead of him but it was cut short because of these perpetrators.”
On another scenario, the alleged Umlazi cop killer will appear in Umlazi Magistrate’s Court on 25 June after his first appearance last week.
Siyabonga Ndawonde is accused of killing Sergeant Zithulele Gama with a knife, where he stabbed him multiple times in 2018.
The former Police Minister Bheki Cele on the media briefing which was in Pretoria in April he said, “Our message is clear, no officer should die with a gun in their hand,”
Cele said 109 police officers had been killed in the past 11 months — 36 while on duty — and 83 suspects had been arrested in connection with the killings.
He said his priority was to keep officers safe and those who confronted police violently “will come out short.
“We call on the police to remain vigilant, protect communities and protect themselves. At all times, act tough on crim,” said Cele.