FOUR VAS FOR OFFICER'S MURDER

COPS have made four arrests following the brutal stabbing of an off-duty Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP) officer on Sunday in Philippi East.

Yonke Pakade, 26, was hijacked by a group of skelms, who stabbed him multiple times in the chest and also stoned him on 12 October. His body was discovered at approximately 3.45am in the morning

Police spokesperson Colonel Andrè Traut said that preliminary information indicates that the deceased and his 30-year-old female colleague were allegedly hijacked in Browns Farm earlier in the evening.

Traut said: “The female officer managed to escape the ordeal unharmed and alerted authorities.”

According to reports his colleagues found the deceased in the Marikana informal settlement as he had tried to flee the attackers, but he succumbed to his injuries at hospital.

The City’s LEAP responded swiftly and arrested a 22-year-old suspect believed to be linked to the incident. 

Security and safety boss JP Smith said: “Following the first arrest the Safety and Security Information Systems Management (SSIMS) unit along with the SAPS Organised Crime Unit, LEAP and the Khayelitsha Tactical Response Unit embarked on a manhunt for the remaining suspects. 

“The team received a tip-off which led them to the Covid Informal Settlement where they arrested two suspects. 

“The team worked tirelessly and arrested another suspect in Philippi East and recovered a knife believed to be the murder weapon.”

The four skelms are expected to appear in the Athlone Magistrate’s Court on 14 October facing charges of murder and hijacking.

Smith added that he has spoken to Pakade’s family who are grieving the loss of a young man who dedicated his life to fighting crime and improving the lives of the Kaapse mense.

He says: “We also call on the courts to oppose the release of these suspects on bail as the investigation continues. If we cannot protect our officers, they cannot protect the public.”

Meanwhile, Western Cape provincial police commissioner Lieutenant-General Thembisile Patekile has condemned the senseless killing of the officer and commended the swift action by law enforcement officers that led to the arrests.

Western Cape MEC of police oversight and community safety Anroux Marais said: “I am angered by this senseless act of violence that has claimed the life of a young officer who served our communities with dedication. T

"The loss of any law enforcement officer is not only a personal tragedy but also a significant setback in our ongoing fight against crime. My heartfelt condolences go out to the family, friends, and colleagues of officer Yonke Pakade