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Mbalula condemns attack on policemen in Vanderbijlpark

Police Minister Fikile Mbalula inspects a police guard during the launch of the newly trained Tactical Response Team at the police training ground in Pretoria. The TRT team underwent a new rigorous training programme aimed at improving reaction time and apprehension of perpetrators in medium to high risk incidents of crime. / Alaister Russell
Police Minister Fikile Mbalula inspects a police guard during the launch of the newly trained Tactical Response Team at the police training ground in Pretoria. The TRT team underwent a new rigorous training programme aimed at improving reaction time and apprehension of perpetrators in medium to high risk incidents of crime. / Alaister Russell

Police Minister Fikile Mbalula has condemned the attack on six South African Police Service members in Vanderbijlpark on Tuesday morning.

Police conducted an operation by the K9 unit at house No.70 De Forest Street‚ which is a well-known alleged drug dealer’s house.

Police found four occupants who were inside the house with a deceased person‚ a Nigerian national.

A video emerged online showing a dead man lying on the ground during the raid.

In the video‚ a group of men were shouting at and aggressively asking the police who killed the man.

Group of men attack police during drug raid

One police was shoved down and intimidated by a man who had a gun in his hands.

“Six police officers were injured after being assaulted by a group of men. The police were following information on a drug house in the area. During the attack the police used shots to disperse the crowd. No one was shot at or injured‚ said Gauteng police spokesperson Kay Makhubele.

According to Makhubele‚ the deceased was not killed by the police as he had no visible shots on his body.

“Police are investigating assault‚ murder and attempted murder (charges). No arrests have been made yet. The police officers were medically treated after the incident‚” Makhubele said.

Mbalula said the armed police present did all they could to de-escalate an explosive situation.

“I am very proud of our police and it shows we are achieving our goals in having (a) professionalized police service‚ but this does not mean our police are open to assaults and other threats on their lives‚” Mbalula said in a statement.

He said no amount of anger could justify the attack of police officers and he said undermining of police was equivalent to undermining the authority of the state.

Mbalula has instructed the police to clamp down decisively on those thugs‚ who saw it fit to attack the police officers.

 

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