Pretoria - A Tshwane Metro police officer died on Wednesday after he was shot by criminals while on duty.
Sergeant Reuben Oupa Dibakwane, 43, was on routine patrol with two of his colleagues near Ga-Rankuwa on Tuesday night when they noticed a vehicle whose lights were not on, said Tshwane Metro Police spokesperson Console Tleane.
The officers stopped the vehicle and issued the driver with a fine for driving a vehicle without lights, thereby causing potential danger to other road users.
"Immediately after issuing the fine, the officers were accosted by four men who emerged suddenly from nearby houses. One of the men had a gun and opened fire, shooting Sergeant Dibakwane in the head. His two colleagues returned fire and hit one of the men, but they all managed to run away as the officers turned to their colleague and rushed him to Legae Clinic in Mabopane," he said.
Dibakwane died on Wednesday morning after undergoing emergency surgery.
Two suspects were arrested after Dibakwane's colleagues called for back-up.
One suspect was located in Hebron. He opened fire when police officers approached and was wounded when police returned fire. He was found to be in possession of Dibakwane's service pistol.
The second suspect was apprehended with the help of community members who had heard the earlier exchange of fire when Dibakwane was shot.
The suspect, who had earlier been shot by Dibakwane's colleagues, was identified by community members as he was bleeding.
Two other suspects are still at large and the search for them continues.
The Tshwane Metro Police Department has condemned the incident and appealed for anyone with information to contact them on 012 358 7095/6 or the SAPS' hotline number 10111. - SAnews.gov.za
