LEAP officer amongst three killed in Crossroads

An officer attached to the Western Cape’s Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP) was shot and killed in Crossroads on Thursday. The 24-year-old was off-duty at the time of the incident. He was deployed to the Mitchells Plain area.

COURTESY: Facebook - JP Smith

The Western Cape’s Police Oversight & Community Safety MEC, Reagen Allen, identified the officer as Siphelo Magwa. He said preliminary reports suggest that he was sitting in a vehicle with his brother and one other person

Allen condemned the incident.

‘’It is unacceptable that officer Magwa, had to lose his life in such a horrific manner and at such a young age. I am deeply angered by the audacity of these criminals. Their actions are barbaric, and I condemn this incident in the strongest possible terms. I urge anyone with information to contact all law enforcement agencies, so that those who committed this heinous crime can immediately be arrested and prosecuted. No stone should be left unturned to find them.”

According to the City's Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith, the officer was with three others when they were attacked by unknown gunmen and the attackers fired several shots at them, in Sobwabile Drive, Crossroads.

‘’Upon arrival we discovered 3 victims that had been traveling together in a vehicle where they had come under attack. Sadly, all three occupants succumbed to their wounds.’’

Smith expressed his anger regarding the incident.

‘’This brazen attack is one that cuts deep upon the family of Cape Town's Safety and Security directorate. I am angered to hear of this attack and can assure the family that we will unite as a directorate and combine all and every possible resource to bring these killers to justice.’’

‘’Almost immediately, a large amount of our SSIU investigators were deployed to the scene and have already begun gathering information. We will assist SAPS in bringing to justice those guilty of this heinous crime.’’

‘’To the family within our directorate, an injury to one is an injury to all. Our members across the directorate have previously united in their commitment to making our City a safer place, but we must now unite in bringing to justice those that threaten our commitment to the cause,’’ said JP Smith, City's Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security.

Western Cape police are investigating four cases of murder and no arrests have yet been made.

Done by: Alungile Njemla