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Two cops die for their guns
27/01/2004 18:46 - (SA)
Riot Hlatshwayo
White River - A second Mpumalanga policeman has been shot and killed in less than five days, prompting Gun Free South Africa to renew calls for off-duty police to leave their service pistols at work.
Both officers were robbed of their service pistols in the attacks on Monday night and last Thursday.
Gun Free South Africa's Joseph Dube said on Tuesday: "Policemen should not be carrying firearms when they are at home because criminals see them as targets for obtaining firearms for use in bank robberies, hijackings or other crimes." Inspector Philip Mangwane, 37, of Burgersfort police station in Mpumalanga, was shot once in the forehead in his home village of Moroke near Lebowakgomo in Limpopo about 21:00 on Monday.
Captain Mohale Ramatseba of Capricorn police said: "His service pistol was also stolen."
The inspector was off duty at the time and walking along a street.
Shot outside spaza shop
No one has been arrested and anyone with information is asked to call superintendent Piet Swanepoel at 082 565 8524.
On Thursday last week, six men attacked Constable Mfanakatiwa Erick Maseko, 38, of White River police station who was also off duty.
He was outside his spaza shop in Msogwaba tribal trust when the men shot him and stole his service pistol and some goods from the shop.
On the way out, they shot a soldier who was passing, and fled on foot.
Maseko was certified dead on arrival at Themba Hospital, and the soldier is in a serious condition.
A teenager was arrested on Friday afternoon in connection with the shooting.
He was shot in the leg during his arrest and will appear in court when he's been discharged from hospital. Police are searching for five other suspects, who are believed to be members of a notorious gang.
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