'Cop killers' die in shoot-out

2008-09-16 16:05

Durban - Two men believed to have been involved in the slaying of senior police officer died in a shoot-out with police near Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday.

Superintendent Henry Budhram said police received information that the two, thought to be behind the August 27 killing of Superintendent Zethembe Chonco, would be travelling in a grey Hyundai Tucson on the N3 highway near Merrivale, close to the town of Howick.

However, when police tried to intercept the vehicle, the men opened fire.

Budhram said: "Police were then forced to return fire with intention of stopping the vehicle, which eventually came to a halt, with one of the suspects attempting to flee on foot.

"On approaching the vehicle, police found one suspect inside the vehicle and the other a short distance away from the vehicle. Both suspects were fatally wounded."

The two men have been identified as 37-year old Magojela Ndimande and 32-year old Sibusiso Thokozani Tembe.

An AK-47 assault rifle was recovered and a Ruger assault rifle and two 9mm handguns and ammunition.

Budhram said police believed Ndimande was the kingpin in the shooting of Chonco, who was ambushed as he followed a convoy of prisoners being escorted to Stanger from Kranskop.

At the time, Superintendent Vincent Mdunge said the prison transport vehicle and as another police vehicle were allowed to pass before the gunmen opened fire on Chonco's car, killing him.

A shoot-out ensued and another policeman was critically wounded. One of the attackers was killed.

The wounded policeman was airlifted to a Durban hospital.

At the time of Chonco's slaying it was not known how many attackers there were.

The spent cartridges of AK-47 assault rifles were found at the scene.

Chonco, who headed the province's taxi violence unit, had been investigating taxi violence in the Maphumulo area, which is midway between Kranskop and Stanger.

He had a string of successes in his investigations, and one source said he had the habit of "eliminating the big taxi hitmen from the scene."

- SAPA