A police officer has been killed and another wounded in an apparent ambush in Mount Edgecombe
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The South African Police Service (SAPS) is mourning the death of Sergeant Mandla Khuzwayo, who died in hospital weeks after he and a colleague were ambushed in a hail of bullets in Durban.
In a statement issued on Monday, Acting National Commissioner Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane expressed condolences following Khuzwayo’s death after he succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained during the attack on April 30.
Khuzwayo and Captain Louis Nel, both attached to Crime Intelligence, were travelling in an unmarked state vehicle when unknown gunmen opened fire on them in Mount Edgecombe, north of Durban.
Captain Nel died at the scene, while Khuzwayo had remained in hospital in critical condition before passing away.
“The loss of Sergeant Khuzwayo is yet another painful reminder of the dangers our members face daily in the execution of their duties. We remain deeply concerned by the targeting of police officers and are intensifying measures aimed at enhancing and improving police safety,” Dimpane said.
The acting national commissioner condemned the continued killings of police officers, describing the attacks as a direct assault on the authority of the state and the country’s crime-fighting capability.
Dimpane also reiterated SAPS’ commitment to ensuring that those behind the killings are brought to justice.
“We will not rest until those behind this senseless attack are found and prosecuted. A dedicated team remains hard at work following all possible leads,” she added.
Captain Nel was laid to rest on May 8 during a funeral service in Durban attended by KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli and KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, alongside colleagues, friends and family members.
At the time of the attack, SAPS confirmed that the officers were travelling in an unmarked state vehicle when they were ambushed by heavily armed suspects.
According to earlier reports, the shooting took place in the Mount Edgecombe area, where Captain Nel was declared dead at the scene while Khuzwayo was rushed to hospital in a critical condition.
IOL