Today's Labour News

News24 reports that another police officer was killed on Friday in the line of duty, taking the number of officers who died last week to seven.

The officers included Brigadier Jackson Mkhaulesi, who died by suicide in Bloemfontein. Detective Warrant Officer Neels Du Rand was killed at about 02:45 on Friday while responding to a crime scene. Du Rand called his colleagues at Villiers police station to inform them that he was following a hijacked truck on the gravel road between Villiers and Standerton and to request backup. Members of Villiers police station reacted swiftly and later discovered a bakkie belonging to Du Rand on a farm. Police spokesperson Sergeant Josephine Rani reported further: “They inspected the vehicle and saw the member in the car motionless. Officers had to break the window to gain entrance into the vehicle. Du Rand sustained four gunshot wounds to his back and was declared dead on the scene by emergency services. Nothing was taken from him or his vehicle. The hijacked truck was later found abandoned about 8km [away], towards Standerton.” National police commissioner General Fannie Masemola paid tribute to Du Rand, as well as to the detective commander of Mooinooi police station, Lieutenant-Colonel Morris Lekone Mohajane, who was killed in a hijacking incident outside his home. He also paid tribute to Constables Mohlopi, Mokoena and Mdende from Fochville police station, who lost their lives in a car accident on Tuesday afternoon. He furthermore offered his condolences to the family of Sergeant Maja, who was fatally shot in a shootout in Mamelodi.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Ntwaagae Seleka at News24

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