A police officer in Limpopo allegedly shot two people, including his girlfriend, before turning the gun on himself on Wednesday afternoon.
Police are investigating two cases of murder and an inquest docket after the incident that took place in Seshego Zone 3.
Provincial police commissioner Lt-Gen Thembi Hadebe said the 27-year-old constable attached to the Roedtan police station allegedly went to a flat where he found a woman believed to be his girlfriend with another man.
“He then confronted them and shot them dead before turning the gun on himself. All three persons were certified dead on the scene. The policeman’s service pistol was found on the scene. It is not clear at this stage what prompted the incident but domestic-related challenges cannot be ruled out,” Hadebe said.
She urged police officers to seek professional help and counselling when faced with relationship problems.
“Our members are urged to make use of available internal helping professionals whose responsibility is to look after the employees’ health and wellness issues and desist from resorting to extreme violence when dealing with challenges,” Hadebe said.
Limpopo MEC for transport and community safety Polly Boshielo condemned the killings while sending condolences to the families of the deceased.
“This is very tragic and the manner it is alleged to have happened, traumatic. We encourage our police officers to always seek help when experiencing personal problems of any kind,” Boshielo said.
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