The two Law Enforcement officers who were killed in Philippi were married fathers who were so dedicated to their jobs that they would even work on their off days.
Police made short work in arresting five suspects in connection with the murders of Jannie Nieuwenhuys, 54, and his colleague Simthembile Nyangiwe, 49, on Wednesday.
Just hours after the murders, four men and a woman were found in possession of the officers’ stolen firearms.
The two had been escorting a construction crew into Sweet Home Farm when they came under attack just before 2pm.
They had been sitting in their marked Law Enforcement Nissan Navara bakkie when they were shot in the head and their firearms were taken.
DEAD: Simthembile Nyangiwe
The critically injured officers were airlifted to Christiaan Barnard and Vincent Pallotti Hospitals respectively where they passed away hours later.
Detectives of Operation Lockdown followed up information obtained at the scene and traced the suspects to Ramaphosa informal settlement in Nyanga, where they found four men and a woman with the officers’ firearms.
However police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Andre Traut, says the killers are still at large: “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.
“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.
SHOT: Jannie Nieuwenhuys, 54
“The search for the killers of the officers are in full swing and every endeavour will be made to bring them to book.
The slain officers were part of the Rapid Response Unit and based in Parow.
“Officer Jan Nieuwenhuys (from Thornton) was 49 years old and leaves behind his wife and four children.
“He had 25 years’ of service and was due to retire at the end of this year,” said JP Smith.
“Officer Simtembile Nyangiwe (from Delft) was 43 years old and a father of three children, the youngest a baby of 11 months.
“He was the family’s breadwinner and also took care of his elderly mother.”
Nieuwenhuys was also a grandfather and an avid
collector of vintage British Ford Anglia and Morris Minor cars.
A colleague said both men used to volunteer their services on their rest days.