Two Law Enforcement officers are dead after they were shot in the head in Philippi while giving a construction team a security escort.
Officer Jannie Niewenhuys, 54, and his colleague, Simthembile Nyangiwe, 49, were sitting inside their marked Law Enforcement vehicle when they came under attack at Sweet Home Farm in Philippi on Wednesday at 1.45pm.
The men were critically injured and taken to hospital in two helicopters where they both passed away soon after.
When their colleagues arrived at the scene, Niewenhuys could be seen sitting in the driver’s seat with a bullet hole in his face while Nyangiwe lay on his stomach in the sand outside the vehicle with a bullet hole to his head.
Bullet holes were seen in the front window of their Nissan Navara bakkie.
Police say the men’s service pistols were stolen, which is believed to be the motive behind the attack.
Bullet holes could be seen in Niewenhuys’ bulletproof vest.
The army was called in to stabilise the scene as dozens of shocked and angry Law Enforcement officials arrived to check on their colleagues.
Niewenhuys passed away at Christiaan Barnard Hospital and Nyangiwe at Vincent Pallotti, Richard Bosman confirmed.
“Both officers passed away,” he told the Daily Voice.
JP Smith, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, says they will be working with cops to bring the perpetrators to book.
GUNNED DOWN: Two Law Enforcement officers were killed in Philippi on Wednesday. Picture: Leon Knipe
“The officers were assigned to protecting workers engaged in a construction project from attacks, when they came under attack. They were airlifted to hospital,” he says.
“The City condemns this gratuitous act of extreme violence perpetrated against the officers who were serving the community.
“The City will assist SAPS in leaving no stone unturned to bring the perpetrators to justice so they can answer for their cowardly deeds.”
Police spokesperson, Lieutenant-Colonel André Traut, confirms: “The officers, aged 54 and 49, were robbed of their service pistols."
Traut says five suspects, including a 23-year-old woman, was arrested after they were found in possession of the slain officers' stolen firearms.
"In pursuit of suspects responsible for the ruthless murder of two Law Enforcement this afternoon in Browns Farm, Provincial Detectives supported by integrated forces attached to Operation Lockdown conducted a multi-disciplinary operation in the area.
"This operation led to the arrest of four male suspects aged between 19 and 33 and a female suspect aged 23 for being in possession of four firearms comprising three Glocks and a Norinco, five magazines and 45 rounds of ammunition in Ramaposa informal settlement in Nyanga.
"Two of the Glocks were identified as the ones stolen from the slain Law Enforcement officers.
"The suspects are detained for the possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition and are due to make court appearances in Athlone once they have been charged.
SCENE: Helicopter at Sweet Home Farm. Picture: Leon Knipe/ANA
"Meanwhile the search for the killers of the officers are in full swing and every endeavour will be made to bring them to book," says Traut.
Any person who can assist police with the investigation is kindly requested to contact Brigadier Bhekie Khumalo on 082 5568642 with their anonymous tipoff. Alternatively Crime Stop can be contacted on 0860010111.