The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) is set to launch an investigation into a shooting incident in the Eastern Cape, where three suspects were fatally shot following a police shootout. The incident took place on February 10 when members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) National Intervention Unit (NIU) were en route from Magwalane Village through the Indwe central business district. They noticed a white Toyota Etios parked in front of a church on Voortrekker Street.
As police officers approached the vehicle and identified themselves, one of the occupants allegedly opened fire. In response, the police returned fire, leading to a shootout that left all three suspects dead. Authorities recovered two unlicensed firearms with ammunition from the scene, and the suspects’ vehicle was seized. An inquest docket has been opened, and the matter has been referred to Ipid for further investigation.
In a broader context, concerns over police use of deadly force have been raised, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal, which has seen an alarming number of police killings. According to the Democratic Alliance (DA), police in the province killed an average of nine suspects per month between July 2023 and July 2024. In 2022/23 alone, Ipid reported that SAPS killed 108 suspects in KwaZulu-Natal, which accounted for a significant portion of the 364 deaths nationwide.
Mzamo Billy from the DA emphasized the need for police officers to be equipped with body cameras, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal. He argued that deadly force should not become a common method of confronting rising crime levels, as it could negatively impact public trust in law enforcement and the criminal justice system.
Supporting this call, Ian Cameron, Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police, pointed out that body cameras could play a pivotal role in ensuring accountability for police actions. He explained that such technology has proven effective globally in preventing and documenting instances of police misconduct. The use of body cameras, Cameron added, would help resolve civil claims and offer empirical evidence in cases where the public perceives police as engaging in extra-judicial killings.
This tragic incident, coupled with ongoing debates over police accountability, underscores the importance of balancing effective law enforcement with transparent practices that can uphold public trust. The investigation into this shooting and the call for body cameras highlight the growing calls for reforms aimed at improving police conduct and public safety in South Africa.
