Police and labour union officials yesterday declared war on criminals, especially cop killers, during the memorial service for slain Hawks member Warrant Officer Dalibandla Qokoyi.
Officials speaking at the event said the killing of police officers was an attack on the state and should be declared treason.
They urged police members to use their firearms in defence of themselves and their colleagues.
East London Organised Crime Unit commander Colonel Sonwabiso Mboniswa led the way, saying the police should not be “soft victims” of criminals.
“We must not at all hesitate to use our service pistols in self- defence. We must use them in defending our lives as police officers and those of the people we serve.”
Hundreds of law enforcement officers and justice stakeholders held a moving, sombre memorial service for Qokoyi, 59.
Qokoyi, who was attached to the Mthatha Organised Crime Unit, was shot and killed on January 11 outside his house in Mthatha, just hours after he had testified in the Tsolo Magistrate’s Court opposing bail in a murder and robbery case.
Police have vowed to make an arrest soon.
Speakers included Mboniswa, Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union Mthatha chairman Nangamso Ngcwangule, National Prosecuting Authority advocate Mzukisi Siyo and family members.
“We will not rest until the killers have been brought to book,” said Mboniswa.
“We cannot allow criminals to be in charge. We will approach parliament for police killings to be declared a priority and the killers be denied bail and sentenced to nothing else but life,” said Mboniswa.
Ngcwangule said the police service had been infiltrated by criminals and called for community policing to be revitalised in an effort to crush crime.
He also raised concerns at what he called the slow pace of making arrests in cop-killing cases.
“Police killings should be declared treason because an attack on a police officer is an attack on the state,” said Ngcangule.
Siyo said that despite Qokoyi’s murder, the case he had been testifying in would proceed.
“His killing would not mean that the case is dead or there will be no information that would lead to their conviction.
“Police keep records and investigators work as a team. Other investigators would continue with the case. So the killing of Qotoyi was just a fruitless exercise,” said Siyo.
Qotoyi was described as “one of the finest investigators that South Africa has ever produced”. Speakers said he had a passion for his work and was always prepared to go the extra mile in fighting crime.
“But, for the life of a crime fighter of his calibre to end in this fashion shows that there is ungratefulness from the communities police serve,” said Ngcwangule.
Qokoyi will be buried at Mthozela village near Qumbu on Saturday and will receive a state funeral, which will be addressed by Police Minister Nkosinathi Nhleko.
Other dignatories expected to attend the funeral are Deputy Police Minister Maggie Sotyu, national head of the Directorate For Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) Lieutenant-General Mthandazo Ntlemeza, and his nine DPCI provincial heads. — lulamilef@
dispatch.co.za
Cops ‘won’t rest’ till killers in jail
Officials speaking at the event said the killing of police officers was an attack on the state and should be declared treason.
They urged police members to use their firearms in defence of themselves and their colleagues.
East London Organised Crime Unit commander Colonel Sonwabiso Mboniswa led the way, saying the police should not be “soft victims” of criminals.
“We must not at all hesitate to use our service pistols in self- defence. We must use them in defending our lives as police officers and those of the people we serve.”
Hundreds of law enforcement officers and justice stakeholders held a moving, sombre memorial service for Qokoyi, 59.
Qokoyi, who was attached to the Mthatha Organised Crime Unit, was shot and killed on January 11 outside his house in Mthatha, just hours after he had testified in the Tsolo Magistrate’s Court opposing bail in a murder and robbery case.
Police have vowed to make an arrest soon.
Speakers included Mboniswa, Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union Mthatha chairman Nangamso Ngcwangule, National Prosecuting Authority advocate Mzukisi Siyo and family members.
“We will not rest until the killers have been brought to book,” said Mboniswa.
“We cannot allow criminals to be in charge. We will approach parliament for police killings to be declared a priority and the killers be denied bail and sentenced to nothing else but life,” said Mboniswa.
Ngcwangule said the police service had been infiltrated by criminals and called for community policing to be revitalised in an effort to crush crime.
He also raised concerns at what he called the slow pace of making arrests in cop-killing cases.
“Police killings should be declared treason because an attack on a police officer is an attack on the state,” said Ngcangule.
Siyo said that despite Qokoyi’s murder, the case he had been testifying in would proceed.
“His killing would not mean that the case is dead or there will be no information that would lead to their conviction.
“Police keep records and investigators work as a team. Other investigators would continue with the case. So the killing of Qotoyi was just a fruitless exercise,” said Siyo.
Qotoyi was described as “one of the finest investigators that South Africa has ever produced”. Speakers said he had a passion for his work and was always prepared to go the extra mile in fighting crime.
“But, for the life of a crime fighter of his calibre to end in this fashion shows that there is ungratefulness from the communities police serve,” said Ngcwangule.
Qokoyi will be buried at Mthozela village near Qumbu on Saturday and will receive a state funeral, which will be addressed by Police Minister Nkosinathi Nhleko.
Other dignatories expected to attend the funeral are Deputy Police Minister Maggie Sotyu, national head of the Directorate For Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) Lieutenant-General Mthandazo Ntlemeza, and his nine DPCI provincial heads. — lulamilef@
dispatch.co.za
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