General Fannie Masemola welcomes life terms handed down to each of the accused in the Engcobo Police Station attack

The National Commissioner of the South African Police Service(SAPS), General Fannie Masemola has welcomed the five life terms handed down to each of the accused in the Engcobo police station attack which left five on-duty police officers dead in 2018.

General Masemola has described the Engcobo police station attack and killing of on-duty police officers at the station as the worst display of disrespect and undermining of the rule of law.

At the time of attack in February 2018, all police officers in the station were all disarmed of their service pistols and thereafter shot and killed. The station was also robbed off at least ten firearms including rifles, 9mm pistols and ammunition.

On Wednesday, 16 October 2024, the Mthatha High Court handed down its conviction to the four accused. This brings a total of five, on the number of accused sentenced in this case. Seven others were shot and killed in 2018 during a confrontation with specialised units of the SAPS and Hawks.

General Masemola says this conviction serves to remind criminals who undermine the authority of the state, that they will be caught and brought to book to face the full might of the law.

An attack on a police official is an attack on the authority of the state and must never be tolerated.

General Masemola has warned that all those who attack police officers under whatever guise will be made to face the full wrath of the law through prosecution.

General Masemola has also stressed the importance of according respect to the fundamental rights of Police officers and other law enforcement agencies, in order to enable them to continue to exercise their mandate of serving and protecting the people of South Africa better, to maintain law and order and to uphold the rule of law.

"We commend the investigating team inclusive of our detectives, crime scene experts, prosecutors and our courts for working tirelessly to bring justice to the families of these police officers", concluded Gen Fannie Masemola

To Warrant Officer Zuko Mbini (46), Constable Kuhle Mateta (27), Constable Nkosiphendule Pongco (32), Constable Sibongiseni Sandlana (32) and Constable Zuko Nelson Ntsheku (38) may your souls continue to rest in peace, knowing that your killers were brought to justice. The SAPS flag continues to fly because of men and women in blue like yourselves who died defending it.

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