KILL OR BE KILLED

COPS have backed National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola’s recent comment to never hesitate to use deadly force when facing violent skelms.

During an address at the Policing Summit currently underway at Emperor’s Palace in Gauteng, Masemola indicated that in the face of violent confrontation, police must not fall victim as they have been given the authority by the government to protect the country and its citizens.

He said: “Those that draw a firearm towards the police, the instruction is clear. 

“As the police, you must defend yourselves and defend the people and the inhabitants of this country. 

“You cannot look back and allow the situation where when there was a shooting between the police and the criminals, we lose members or our members are injured.”

Police unions, the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) and the South African Policing Union (SAPU) are now staaning bankvas behind Masemola. 

Popcru president Thulani Ngwenya said in light of the many incidents of violence against the police, the union supports the stance taken by Masemola.

He said: “Those who criticise the police when they defend themselves want this country and its citizens to live in fear while being terrorised by criminals.”

SAPU spokesperson Lesiba Thobakgale said cops can’t back down from a confrontation if they are armed as these firearms will end up in the wrong hands. 

He says: “SAPU’s position is that police officers must not die with tools of trade on them when their lives or the life of the citizenry is in danger. They must respond accordingly within the parameters of the law.”

Masemola’s comments came as suspected cop killer, Ayazola Fulu, yesterday appeared in Khayelitsha Magistrates Court for the June 2024 murder of Constable Akho Ndzingo. 

Fulu, also known as China, is also suspected of possibly being behind more than 10 murders and about five attempted murders in the Khayelitsha and Lingelethu West districts between 2021 and 2024.

It was reported that for the third quarter of 2024/2025, at least 13 police officials were murdered, with eight of these having been killed while off duty.

In January this year, an unarmed cop was shot and killed in Mfuleni while he was picking up his colleague before their shift. 

In April last year, Constable Ashley Baumann was hospitalised after he was shot on patrol in Kensington.  

Unions backing top cop’s call to use ‘deadly force’ under the threat of death