WATCH: It mustn't be police blood, says Cele at memorial service
Three police officers, two of whom were gunned down in Khayelitsha and Delft last week, and the remains of a third found burnt in his car in Khayelitsha earlier this month, were described as humble, people’s persons and full of life during their memorial service in Mitchells Plain on Thursday.
Among the hundreds of people that attended the service were police top brass, including Police Minister Bheki Cele, national commissioner Khehla Sithole and provincial commissioner Khombinkosi Jula.
Saddened friends said the service was emotional but celebratory, stating that the trio cared deeply for others, not only their families and their circle of friends, but for the disenfranchised people in the communities.
Cele said: “This situation of getting used to burying our members should come to an end. If you kill a police officer, you must know your life will be difficult. I believe the killing of police officers go beyond criminality, it is politically motivated.”
He acknowledged that “we are on the bad side” when it comes to the United Nations standard of one police officer for every 220 people.
He warned police officers to use their guns when they face danger. “We won’t give you a gun and you die with it. It can’t be right that we sit back and keep quiet. There must be blood but it cannot be that of a police officer.”
Cele added that there is also a growing need to enhance the technical awareness training of police officers, in an effort to save the lives of more officers.
"It includes a refresher course in the shortest possible time at your shooting range... The high-powered crimes like your cash heists your ATM bombings and the hijackings… those guys they practise before they go to the exercise.
"So if you take your police, put them three years at the station level without sharpening their skills, it might disadvantage them."
Pleas to the community to help the police find the killers took centre stage at the service, with each of the deceased families pleading to community members to tip-off the police with any information that could lead to the arrest of the perpetrators.
Constable Lonwabo Kili, 30, who had been stationed at the Bellville South police station, was shot and killed in Delft.
Siyamcela Ncipa, 37, who was stationed at Mowbray police station, was shot twice in the head outside the residence of a friend in Site B, Khayelitsha. Both their firearms were stolen during the incidents.
Police officer Arthur Matu’s charred remains were found inside his burnt vehicle in Site B, Khayelitsha, on August 10.
Khayelitsha Brigadier Mkuseli Nkwintshi, where Mantu worked, said he had personally gone to the scene, not knowing it was Mantu’s body that had been burnt.
“This was a very young man who had a bright future ahead of him, not only in the police service but in the world. We saw potential in him and we placed him within the Crime Prevention Unit,” said Nkwintshi.
He said Mantu’s dedication was proven when a police truck, carrying prisoners, overturned in April. Even though his colleague had been booked off sick since, he came back to work within a few weeks.
Kili’s uncle, Mnonele Ngomane, told the mourners his nephew was “a family man” and being “the first suspect” when guns got missing at Bellville South police station, “did not deter him from excelling in his duties”.
Ncipa’s uncle, Jongikhaya Ncipa, said the family “had lost a great leader”, who "played a pivotal role to unite our family".
Referring to Cele, Ncipa said: “We know your capabilities and you will leave no stone unturned to bring the perpetrators to book.”
“The people of this country don’t appreciate the work of our police officers. They do all kinds of cruel things to them, even killing them. People need to start changing their behaviour.”