Cops have arrested a taxi driver who allegedly rammed into a police officer who was busy checking a flat tyre and then sped away from the scene.
The cop and another pedestrian were killed in the hit and run incident on Sunday shortly after midnight.
Police say the taxi driver will be charged with two counts of culpable homicide.
Police believe after killing Constable Anele Bidi, 34, along Weltevreden Road in Samora Machel, the driver killed another man just a few metres further down the same street.
The second man’s identity has not been revealed by cops.
Bidi was from Philippi and was stationed at Grassy Park Police Station in the Crime Prevention Unit and had been off-duty at the time of the incident.
Police say Bidi had car trouble and had stopped to look at his tyre which was flat, and had intended on changing it at the nearest petrol station.
Bidi had sustained severe head injuries and was killed instantly at the scene.
After knocking down the second man, the taxi driver fled the scene, but was hunted down by cops hours later and arrested.
Grassy Park Police Station spokesperson, Captain Wynita Kleinsmith, says the arresting officers also impounded the driver’s taxi.
“The deceased member was off duty and was with the Crime Prevention Unit,” explains Kleinsmith.
“He had stopped alongside the road because he had a flat tyre. His intention was to visit the nearest garage to change it. He was struck by the taxi and sustained severe
head injuries.
“The driver then knocked down a second person who also died at the scene. At 5:30pm on Sunday the driver was arrested and placed into custody.
“His taxi was impounded and it was handed in at Stikland for investigation purposes. He is facing culpable homicide charges.”
Bidi, originally from the Eastern Cape, had a girlfriend who is pregnant with their first child.
Messages of condolences for Bidi poured in on social media from residents in Schaapkraal and Grassy Park, who are appealing for justice to prevail.
Grassy Park SAPS Station Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Dawood Laing, says Bidi’s death is a great loss for the station and community.
He described Bidi as “quiet and very respectful”, adding: he was “a dedicated worker, he was one of the good guys.”