General Fannie Masemola, National Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS), complimented Gauteng Police for the swift arrest of a suspect accused of fatally stabbing a police officer on duty in Rosettenville on 1 January 2023, New Year’s Day.
On the first day of the new year, 52-year-old Warrant Officer Ntshidi Marutla was disarmed and fatally stabbed.
This occurred during a stop and search in Rosettenville.
Another member was stabbed and sent to a neighboring medical institution.
Within hours of the crime, personnel of the Johannesburg Central Police Station connected a male suspect to the crime site and apprehended him.
He was found with the murder weapon and the service handgun of the deceased member.
Marutla had served the organization for thirty years, having joined in 1992.
He was a member of the Moffatview Police Department.
Another case of an off-duty police officer being shot.
In a separate incident, Gauteng police initiated a manhunt for four suspects believed to have fatally shot an off-duty police officer.
He was shot in his residence on December 29, 2022.
Detective assigned to the Linden Police Station, Warrant Officer Anton Seeber, was sleeping when unidentified gunmen stormed into his residence and demanded his service firearm.
His personal things, including his service handgun, were stolen after he was shot and died.
The police are requesting that area people come forward with any information that will assist them in apprehending the murderers.
The National Commissioner of the SAPS has expressed worry about the ongoing attacks and murders of police officers.
“We continuously follow our Police Safety Strategy and Plan to safeguard the safety of officers when on and off duty. Neighborhoods must also take an active role in providing or sharing information about known offenders within their communities. Our condolences go out to the families, friends, and coworkers of our soldiers, and we wish the injured member a swift recovery”, stated General Fannie Masemola.
»A police officer was STABBED and murdered on January 1st«