Three City of Cape Town Metro Police officers were injured after coming under fire by community members in Manenberg on Tuesday.
According to the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith, the officers responded to an alert after a drone used as part of deployments in the area detected an armed suspect.
Smith says the suspect reportedly attempted to flee when he saw the officers, threw the firearm onto a roof, ran inside and locked the door behind him. Officers entered the home, and after a brief pursuit on the premises, the suspect was arrested.
The Metro police officers, however, came under attack and were pelted with stones, allegedly by community members, as they were leaving with the suspect.
According to Smith, the officers were then also shot at, and they returned fire, withdrawing with the suspect and the recovered firearm.
Three officers sustained injuries, one hurt their knee, another their ankle and a third officer sustained a head wound after being hit with a brick.
“Attacks on our staff have become par for the course, and it is completely unacceptable. It is deplorable to think that the very communities officers are putting their lives on the line for are first to not only attack officers, but also potentially have a criminal go free to terrorise the neighbourhood again,” added Smith
Smith has called on residents to refrain from interfering with the duties of officers and urged anyone with information regarding the incident to call the tip-off line at 0800 110077.
Meanwhile, crime-fighting organisation, Fight Against Crime SA (FACSA), says the situation in Manenberg has reached a point where even calling it “frustrating” feels like an understatement.
According to the organisation, every time law enforcement attempts to make an arrest, a section of the community springs into action to block officers, protect suspects, or interfere with operations.
“There is no version of this behaviour that can be defended. None. It actively empowers the very criminals who terrorise the same residents day after day,” added the organisation
