National Police Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola, has defended officers who use force when confronted by armed criminals, stating that they act within the bounds of the law.
“For as long as criminals attack police officers, the police will respond decisively as empowered by relevant legislation that governs the work of the police,” Masemola said.
This comes after, Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) Executive Director, Jennifer Dikeledi Ntlatseng, raised concerns over the growing number of suspects killed in shootouts with police in KwaZulu-Natal.
In an interview, she described the trend as “worrying” and suggested that some officers might be bypassing the criminal justice system, possibly to eliminate evidence or suspects linked to crimes.
IPID has initiated investigations into multiple cases where suspects were fatally wounded during alleged shootouts with police.