A police colonel was shot and killed in his driveway in Witbank on Tuesday evening. 

The National Commissioner of the SAPS, General Khehla John Sitole, has directed that the killers of Lieutenant Colonel Fana Simon Maseko be tracked and brought to book as soon as possible.

According to national police spokesperson Brigadier Vish Naidoo, Maseko was driving his Mercedes-Benz into his driveway in Mtsuki Street in Ackerville in Witbank, Mpumalanga, on Tuesday when at least two armed men opened fire on him, killing him instantly. 

“The suspects fled without taking anything and the motive for the killing is unknown at this stage,” Naidoo said.

“Sitole has instructed that a 72-hour activation plan be mobilised. This is a plan which entails the mobilisation of critical disciplines and resources of the SAPS, including Crime Intelligence, forensic experts and seasoned investigators both from the SAPS and the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (Hawks) to ensure that no intelligence and evidence which could help track down the killers is lost.

“This activation plan will also be supported by a specialised tactical team including members of the task force, the National Intervention Unit and/or the Tactical Response Team when the need arises,” Naidoo said. 

“I have tasked the provincial team to spare no resources in tracking down those responsible”, said Sitole.

“An attack on a police officer is an attack on the nation, and as a nation, we need to rally together to bring these continuous attacks on our men and women in blue to a grinding halt”, added Sitole 

Naidoo made an earnest appeal to anyone with any information on the killing of Maseko to come forward.

“Information may be communicated via our Crime Stop number 086 00 10111. Callers may remain anonymous and all information will be treated with strictest confidence,” Naidoo said. 

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