Police are hunting suspects who killed a police officer in Steenberg, Cape Town, on Monday night.
"This is the second one in the line of duty this year," Lieutenant Colonel Andrè Traut told News24.
"Last night [Monday], at around 23:15, two members attached to the Steenberg Crime Prevention Unit approached five suspects in Fawley Court, Lavender Hill, who fled on the arrival of police.
"During the pursuit of the suspects, they opened fire at the police vehicle in Grindel Crescent and wounded the driver, a 34-year old-sergeant.
"He was rushed to hospital, where he later succumbed to death. His partner, a constable, escaped the attack unharmed," he said.
Traut expressed its condolences on behalf of the police to the family of the officer, and appealed to the public to help them track down the killer.
"Any person who can assist us with information regarding this case is kindly requested to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111. All information will be treated confidentially."
Investigation
Traut said that the killing would be investigated by the Anti-Gang Unit.
Lieutenant General Christine Mgwenya said at a press briefing in September last year that 29 police officers had been killed in the line of duty during the 2017/2018 financial year.
However, that number is lower than the 56 killed while off-duty over the same period.
Data going back to 2012/13 indicates that off-duty unnatural deaths far outnumber the deaths of police officers while on duty, according to a SAPS briefing to Parliament in 2015.
In that briefing, SAPS said that most police members killed on-duty were attached to the Visible Policing Unit, who were often as first responders.
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