On Sunday afternoon, a Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) officer was assaulted by a suspected Nigerian drug dealer during an operation in Randburg, north of Johannesburg.
According to a JMPD statement, officers were acting on a lead regarding the Nigerian suspect when they arrived at the scene. The suspect, upon spotting the officers, called for reinforcement, falsely claiming he was being robbed. This led to a violent altercation.
In the chaos that followed, two suspects were shot. One suspect sustained critical injuries and was transported to Olivedale Hospital, while the other suffered a hand wound, received on-site medical treatment, and was subsequently arrested. A third suspect, who transported the critically injured individual to the hospital, was identified and apprehended.
During the incident, a police vehicle was damaged, and the officer’s firearm was later recovered by the Douglasdale SAPS.
Lesiba Thobakgale, spokesperson for the South African Policing Union (SAPU), condemned the attack, stating, “An attack on the police is an attack on the state. Police killings or attacks should be declared treason as it is a crime against the state, and the state has a responsibility to protect police officers who are representing the state and not themselves.”
Thobakgale emphasized that stringent measures would demonstrate the government’s commitment to addressing such serious offenses, highlighting the need for stronger protections and repercussions for attacks on law enforcement.
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