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Police face heartbreaking loss with officers murdered in Gqeberha and Free State

Police face heartbreaking loss with officers murdered in Gqeberha and Free State
Vincent Cruywagen
By Vincent Cruywagen
6 Jan 2025
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The shooting of police officers around the country continues unabated, with three policemen shot dead in different incidents in seven days.

It has been a bleak festive season for the SAPS, with three members in Gqeberha and the Free State mown down in a single week. 

One of the three murdered officers was Constable Callan Andrews (29), attached to Gelvandale police station in Gqeberha, who was killed while he and his colleague were assisted by three community members to start their vehicle, which had broken down.

Andrews was killed senselessly on December 31, 2024, at approximately 5.35pm, while he and his colleague were performing regular patrols in Gelvandale when the vehicle’s engine died on Kobus Road in Helenvale. 

According to Lieutenant-Colonel Siphokazi Mawisa of the Office of the Provincial Commissioner Eastern Cape: “While they were attempting to start the vehicle, they were assisted by three community members. The driver heard a shot being fired, and on inspection discovered that the constable had been shot in the head. He was taken to hospital where he later died.”

The suspects allegedly grabbed Andrew’s service pistol and fatally wounded him. They fled with his pistol.

Hawks spokesperson Ndiphiwe Mkhlakuvana has stated that the Gqeberha Serious Organised Crime Investigation Unit has arrested two suspects, aged 17 and 18, on charges of murder and robbery of a police firearm. The suspects, Mpumelelo Nyosi and Ntsika Tyali, appeared briefly in the Engcobo Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 6 January 2025. The matter was adjourned to 8 January for formal bail application. He added that more arrests were imminent because the matter was still being investigated, and that further details would not be divulged at this time.

Free State constables killed while responding to call


The other police killings occurred on 4 January 2025 at Namahadi, Free State, when two police constables were gunned down in the line of duty at about 10pm. 

Brigadier Motantsi Makhele, the Free State police spokesperson, said that preliminary reports indicated that the two Namahadi Community Service Centre (CSC) officers attended a house robbery incident in Mangaung Village.

The two members were joined by a crime prevention vehicle carrying three more members. When the South African Police Service (SAPS) arrived at the scene, two suspects fled the residence, prompting a pursuit by the crime prevention unit.

“The CSC members approached the house, where one suspect emerged and opened fire. One member was fatally shot and his service pistol was taken by the suspect.

“As the pursuit continued, another suspect ambushed the driver of the backup vehicle while he was reversing it. He was shot in the neck and succumbed to his injuries. The other police officers in the vehicle were unharmed,” Makhele said.

Their assailants’ faces were covered with balaclavas. The suspects remain at large, and the investigation is ongoing. The names of the two murdered police officers have not yet been released. Their particulars will be released as soon as their loved ones are formally informed.

Dangers faced by law enforcement officers


Police killings are one of the nightmares that the SAPS administration must deal with year after year. 

A total of 39 police officers were killed in the line of duty in South Africa between April 2023 and May 2024. All of them were commemorated on National Commemoration Day held at the Unions Buildings on 1 September 2024, attended by their families, senior police leadership, Deputy President Paul Mashatile and the Police Ministry.

Furthermore, the police minister releasing the second quarter crime statistics for the period July to September 2024 indicated that a further 17 police officers had been killed in the line of duty.

On Monday, 6 January 2025, Kamogelo Mogotsi, the spokesperson for Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, expressed the SAPS’ condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the fallen officers, and told Daily Maverick the SAPS and the Ministry of Police were deeply saddened by these senseless acts of violence against members who risked their lives daily to protect their communities.

“The incidents reported are a grim reminder of the dangers faced by our law enforcement officers. These acts of violence are not only attacks on the SAPS but also on the fabric of our society. We strongly condemn these cowardly acts and reiterate our commitment to ensuring that those responsible are brought to justice.

“The Ministry of Police remains committed to enhancing the safety and working conditions of law enforcement personnel through targeted interventions, improved resources, and stronger community partnerships. Addressing the broader issue of crime requires collective effort, and we urge communities to support our officers by sharing information and fostering mutual respect,” Mogotsi said.

Anyone with information about these incidents is advised to call the SAPS Crime Stop hotline at 08600 10111. DM

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