By Jonk wa Mashamba
news@alexreporter.co.za
Sergeants Nonjabulo Mogale and Mapule Petje were inside a retail store buying buying food when thugs stormed the area.
Mogale was killed instantly with her service pistol.
The horrific killing, filmed by surveillance cameras, occurred in Tembisa, Ekurhuleni, on a Thursday night.
This came at a time when Women’s Month was coming to an end.
Mogale was shot in the head and later died as a result of her injuries. Petje escaped unharmed, but the weapons of both officers were stolen by the armed men who then ran away.
Mogale was once a spokesperson for the Alexandra Police Station.
When asked for comment, Alexandra Police Station Commander Brigadier Lindiwe Magudulela told Alex Reporter that Mogale’s death has affected her.
“The Death of any person is hurting, the colleague ‘s death is not only painful but also disturbing and traumatic. It is also disturbing to hear how She was Killed especially during the woman’s month. These suspects have absolutely no regard for the law.
“To the members, let us be careful wherever we are. Let us stand strong, always wear your protective bullet vest and be alert of your surroundings.
“May Her Soul Rest in Eternal Peace,” she said.
Gauteng Provincial police spokesperson Lieutenant Kay Makhubela hadn’t responded to our questions at the time of going to press.
Police ministry spokesperson Lirandzu Themba said Mogale’s death was a devastating blow considering when it happened.
“As Women’s month comes to a close, the South African Police Service has suffered yet another devastating blow, this time with the attack and robbery of two armed female members, one of whom was fatally wounded in Ekurhuleni.”
Earlier this week, the Hawks arrested a 24-year-old suspect for the murder of Constable Portia Mhlanga, who was stationed at the uMlazi police station in KwaZulu-Natal.
Hawks spokesperson Captain Simphiwe Mhlongo said Mhlanga was allegedly shot and killed by Ntando Mkhize while she was off-duty at E section in uMlazi, on May 7, 2021.
On Wednesday, a suspect appeared in the Athlone Magistrate’s Court for his alleged involvement in a hijacking incident in which an off-duty police officer, Sergeant Sakhumzi Mbucela, was stabbed and later succumbed to his injuries.
Mbucela, 40, stationed at Wynberg Vispol, was stabbed during an apparent robbery in Gugulethu on August 12.
Western Cape police spokesperson Colonel Andrè Traut said Mbucela was admitted to hospital where he died on August 14.
The South African Police Service annually holds a commemoration on September 1 to honour its members who lost their lives while performing their duties.
On a national scale, quarterly crime statistics released by Cele last week, revealed that within three months this year, 5 760 people were murdered in South Africa.
The statistics covered a three-months period from April to June this year.
In the three months of reporting, Cele said a 66,2 % increase in murder was recorded.
Cele explained that the never-seen-before double digit increase was as a result of comparing it to the same period last year, which recorded abnormal figures as the country was under hard lockdown level 5 where most people were forced to stay indoors.
Compared to the previous normal period of the 2019/2020 financial year, the murder rate would have increased by 6.7%, he reported.
Source: IOL
