Staff Reporter
A second Crime Intelligence officer wounded in an ambush in Durban last month has died in hospital, the South African Police Service (SAPS) said on Monday evening.
Sergeant Mandla Khuzwayo succumbed to gunshot wounds after he and Captain Louis Nel were attacked on 30 April while travelling in an unmarked state vehicle in Durban.
SAPS said the two officers “came under attack in a hail of bullets by unknown assailants”. Nel died at the scene, while Khuzwayo had been fighting for his life in hospital until his death.
Acting National Commissioner Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane expressed “deep sadness” over Khuzwayo’s death and condemned the continued killing of police officers on and off duty, saying the attacks were a direct assault on the authority of the state and the country’s crime-fighting capability.
“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,” said Dimpane.
Nel was laid to rest on 8 May during a funeral service in Durban attended by KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli, provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, other dignitaries, colleagues, family and friends.
Dimpane conveyed condolences to Khuzwayo’s family, friends and colleagues, and said SAPS remained committed to ensuring that those responsible for the killings of both officers were 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,” Dimpane said.
SAPS said investigations into the incident were continuing.
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