Cele criticises media on police coverage

2011-04-30 14:35

Johannesburg - Police Commissioner Bheki Cele on Saturday criticised the media for not covering the funeral service of a police constable killed in Katlehong last week.

Hawks spokesperson McIntosh Polela said Cele also criticised the media for not treating the police the same way as they focus on the victims of police brutality.

He said he was besieged by the media when he visited the family of Andries Tatane who died after being shot, allegedly by police, in Ficksburg two weeks ago.

In another incident Jeanette Odendaal, 45, was shot dead, also allegedly by a police sergeant, outside the Kempton Park police station.

Cele was speaking at the funeral of Constable Fihliwe Mavis Bengeza, who was shot while responding to an ATM bombing in Zonkizizwe in Katlehong.

Bengeza, 25, died in hospital after she was shot in the face.

Her colleague, Constable Sihle Mbatha, 27, was shot in the leg.

Cele said Bengeza's eight-year-old daughter would benefit from the police trust fund, which caters for children of police officers who died in the line of duty.

Sergeant Manape Phineas Kgoale, 38, allegedly shot dead Odendaal after she reportedly crashed into a stationary police vehicle in a parking area outside the station on Tuesday evening.

He appeared in court on Friday, and his case was postponed to May 4 for a bail application.

Meanwhile, eight policemen accused of killing Tatane were refused bail in the Ficksburg Magistrate's Court on Friday.

The case was postponed to June for further investigation.

- SAPA