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Policeman’s firearm ‘stolen’ after attending Khayelitsha memorial for murdered cop

Policeman’s firearm ‘stolen’ after attending Khayelitsha memorial for murdered cop
Caryn Dolley
By Caryn Dolley
24 Jun 2024
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A memorial service was held for Constable Akho Ndzingo last week. He had recently been shot dead in Khayelitsha. After attending the service, a police officer’s firearm was reported as stolen – it seems to have been taken while he was visiting another cop.

A police officer’s work firearm appears to have been stolen in Khayelitsha on the day he attended the memorial service of a fellow cop who had earlier been murdered in the suburb.

Daily Maverick understands that the officer, a member of the Public Order Police, gave a colleague a lift home following the service on 20 June.

While in the colleague’s house, the firearm might have been removed from beneath a seat in the vehicle that the officer had been driving.

Firearm theft investigation


On Monday, Western Cape police spokesperson Warrant Officer Joseph Swartbooi confirmed to Daily Maverick the incident was under investigation.

“A case of theft has been registered with Khayelitsha police for further investigation,” he said.

“An appeal is hereby made to anyone with information to please call CrimeStop on 08600 10111.”

The case is one of several relating to firearms and the South African Police Service (SAPS) and comes at a time when officers are cracking down on illegal firearms.

Read more in Daily Maverick: Morning of murders — eight people shot dead in Khayelitsha

The incident also highlights the scourge of violent crime in Khayelitsha. 

Cop killing


In one of the more recent shootings on 12 June, constable Akhona Ndzingo was murdered.

He had been based at the Khayelitsha police station and was reportedly a Premier Soccer League referee.

On 20 June, a memorial service was held for him in Khayelitsha.



The SAPS posted on social media: “The young constable’s life was cut short when he was shot and killed in Khayelitsha while he was serving his community last week.

“The memorial service was preceded by a wreath-laying ceremony at the Khayelitsha police station where constable Ndzingo was stationed.”

Missing gun


Daily Maverick understands that a police officer gave a colleague a lift home to Site C, Khayelitsha after Ndzingo’s memorial service.

It is understood that, once there, the officer went into his colleague’s home to socialise for around 15 minutes.

While on his way home, the officer checked for his firearm beneath the driver’s seat where he had left it, but it was not there.

Dismissals


There have recently been other issues relating to firearms that reflect poorly on the SAPS.

Last week, Daily Maverick reported that five police officers had been dismissed after being linked to the disappearance of 15 firearms from the Mitchells Plain police station.

Read more in Daily Maverick: Five cops fired in ongoing Mitchells Plain ‘missing police guns’ scandal

It was not the first time this police station has been connected to a scandal involving missing firearms.

About seven years ago, 15 handguns disappeared from the station’s community service centre. A group of officers faced disciplinary action including suspensions and dismissals, but were later cleared of wrongdoing.

Gangster’s funeral


Meanwhile, police in the Western Cape are cracking down on illegal firearms.

Provincial police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Malcolm Pojie said on 22 June that national Public Order Police based in Cape Town had arrested a suspect in Strand and confiscated a “black Formula 9mm KRL” and a “black Glock 9mm.”



“Earlier the same day, members … were deployed to … the funeral of a known gangster who was shot and killed a week ago,” Pojie said.

“During the event [in Strand] members conducted random searches and confiscated two firearms which resulted in the arrests of two men.” DM

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