JOHANNESBURG – Minister of Police Bheki Cele called on officers to protect themselves at all costs, saying there was a war against them.
Cele spoke at the funeral service of Officer Sthembiso Mazibuko, who was killed during a shootout in Ntuzuma last week.
Four of the suspects were fatally shot during the exchange of fire.
Cele expressed anger and sadness over the murders of police officers in the country.
There had been an increase in the number of police officers killed while on duty in 2023, with recent statistics showing that the number of officers killed in the first quarter of the year almost doubled compared to 2022.
Cele said it was important for officers to fight back when engaging criminals.
He said that while it was the duty of officers to protect communities, it was also necessary to take whatever measures were necessary to protect themselves.
Source : EWN
