On Saturday,the National Police Commissioner,Lieutenant General Fannie Masemola calls all police officers not to hesitate to defend themselves against criminals when facing a threat. 

He made that call when he visited the family of one of the police officers which were brutally murdered by heartless criminal Jabulani Thabang Moyo while were coming from Roodepoort Magistrates Court on Friday morning.

 The police officers that were ambushed were attached to the Johannesburg Trio Task Team which is responsible for investigating house and business robberies as well as car-hijackings. 

He revealed that the South African Police Service has sadly lost three police officers in the last 24 hours, in line of duty. Two detectives attached to the Florida police station and one is a crime prevention officer attached to the Schoemansdal police station in Mpumalanga.

 He described the killings of police officers as a direct attack for the rule of law and the state,and also mentioned that the police force lost six members from the beginning of April till now. 

"This is not only an attack on the Justice and Crime Prevention Security Cluster but it is a direct attack on the authority of the rule of law and the state. 

In the last financial year,27 men and women in blue died in the line of duty.From the first of April 2025 to date,six police officers have lost their lives to criminal attacks and ambushes,"he said.

 He emphasised that the death of police officers is not just numbers but families lose their breadwinners,and ordered the police officers to eliminate any threat which might put their lives at risk. 

"These are not just numbers,they were mothers and fathers who have left families behind to fend themselves.Most of them were breadwinners in their households but most importantly,they were members who dedicated and lay down their lives in the line of duty by ensuring that all people living in South Africa are safe and protected from callous criminals. 

Indeed,we cannot remain silent and it cannot be business as usual when criminals have clearly declared war on the authority of the state. 

I am making this call again to all police officers in the country,do not die with the tools and resources that we have given you.The men and women in blue must act appropriately when circumstances allow them to act.Remember to always use force that is proportional to the threat.I plead with you,do not let your guard down,always be a step ahead of these criminals to ensure the safety and security of the people of this country,"he added. 

The two slained police officers had a combined experience of 40 years serving the police force with the purpose of protecting the civilians of this country. 

Warrant Officer Vuyisile Sintwa(51) had served the police force for 23 years and joined the SAPS in 2002,and Sergeant Simon Masenye(45) joined the SAPS 17 years ago,both of them were attached to Johannesburg Trio Task Team. 

Masemola stated that the police investigation is ongoing to found out how these detectives were killed and mentioned that the investigation is led by HAWKS.

 "Ladies and gentlemen,the investigation into how these detectives were shot and killed by Jabulani Moyo is ongoing... 

"This investigation is being led by the HAWKS and we are relying on the bystanders and witnesses as well as evidence gathered at the filling station where they stopped from the Roodepoort Magistrate Court and where the shootings happened.We are following up on every piece of information that will assist us to solve this case. 

We have established a multidisciplinary team led by our crime intelligence operatives that have been on the ground actively searching for JABULANI Moyo,"he concluded.

 Yesterday,the SAPS announced a R150,000 cash reward for information on the whereabouts of Jabulani Thabang Moyo who is wanted in connection with the murder of two police officers.