In recent weeks, the country has witnessed an alarming rate of police killings in the hands of notorious criminals. This is a worrying trend that we continue to experience in the law enforcement fraternity.
The ruthless killing of our police officers in the line of duty cannot continue unabated and must be condemned with the contempt it deserves.
As a country, what does this say about our moral fibre?
Does it mean it has been tarnished to the extent that we neither fear nor respect our law enforcement agencies? In other countries, a police officer is respected and treated with the utmost dignity?
The country woke up to the news of five officers and a retired soldier killed at Ngcobo police station during the early hours of the morning on February 21.
In Ekurhuleni, 50-year-old Constable Makhubu was shot and killed during a robbery at a filling station in Springs. Again last month, 47-year-old Joburg metro police officer David Ratshikhopa was shot in the head while responding to a hijacking in Booysens.
I am taken aback by the callous criminals’ brazen attacks on and disregard for our police officers.
In addition to being police officers, they are mothers, fathers, brothers, sons and daughters.
When they take off their uniforms, they are citizens like the rest of us.
Killing cops leaves orphans and widows. It leaves families devastated and in agony. This has a negative impact on their families, particularly for those who were the breadwinners.
We cannot continue to live in fear of criminals. We cannot be held hostage in our own land.
Our crime intelligence should continuously employ new strategies to ensure that we are ahead of the criminals.
Nkosi-Malobane is Gauteng MEC for Community Safety