The brother of a policewoman who was gunned down by her police captain partner was killed while trying to stop the shooting.
Three other people who were trying to stop the officer, who killed his partner during her birthday celebration in Protea Glen, Soweto, were also shot and injured.
Ward councillor Phelelani Sindani, who spoke on behalf of the family, said the couple – Sgt Victoria Ramoshaba, who was stationed at Yeoville police station, and Capt John Monyai, who was stationed in Hillbrow – had normal arguments like any couple.
“According to the family, there were issues like in any other relationship, but they never thought it would result in fatal consequences. The family said when the captain arrived at the house, he asked to speak to Ramoshaba and they had an argument. He then started shooting. The cop shot the brother, Collet, and everyone else who was trying to stop him from shooting,” Sindani said.
Gauteng police spokesperson Col Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said Monyai arrived at the house and allegedly called his partner to the side and they started arguing.
“It is alleged that the group was at home celebrating the birthday of the captain's girlfriend, who is also a police officer. The captain reportedly called the girlfriend to the side and that is when people saw him draw a firearm and shoot her and her brother dead, while three other civilians sustained injuries. He then turned the gun on himself,” said Nevhuhulwi.
She is leaving behind a big hole. I've known her since 2013 and we practically raised our children together. Aus' Rama is gone. Her partner seemed like a kind and quiet man
— Phumzile Tshabalala, neighbour
He said the couple had been together for 16 years and had two children.
Both families are not coping, he said.
“They’ve decided to have separate discussions and then come back together to decide whether they will have a joint funeral or not. But you'd understand that on the woman's side, there are two bodies.
"So, we’re hoping they’ll reach a decision without conflict because two children came out of this relationship. One is 16, and the other is younger. For the sake of these kids, we hope the families can work together.”
Neighbours said when they heard several gunshots in the middle of the night, they thought it was just another crime incident.
Nothing could have prepared them for the devastating news that their "friendly and helpful" neighbour, Ramoshaba, was gunned down by her lover.
Neighbour Phumzile Tshabalala said she was woken by the gunshots.
“I didn't think much of it. I even thought maybe the shots were happening about a block away. I heard four shots, one after the other, and I went back to sleep. It was only when my other neighbour called me about 15 minutes later that I found out what had happened,” she said.
Another neighbour who asked not to be named said he thought there was a burglary.
“I was heading off to bed. They [gunshots] were consecutive and it all happened very fast. I looked at the neighbourhood group chat and found out that everyone seemed to agree the sound came from my neighbour's home. The police were called,” he said.
“The gate was closed, so you couldn't see anything or what was happening inside the yard. When the police went in, they thought they were responding to a break-in. I never imagined that there would be bodies. I had greeted her [deceased sergeant] earlier that day.”
Tshabalala said she is still in shock over the sergeant’s death. “She is leaving behind a big hole. I've known her since 2013 and we practically raised our children together. Aus' Rama is gone. Her partner seemed like a kind and quiet man.”
Police are investigating two counts of murder, three counts of attempted murder and an inquest docket.
Provincial police commissioner Lt-Gen Tommy Mthombeni has urged cops to seek help. “We give our members these tools [guns] to protect themselves against criminals, so it is disheartening to see the very same tools being used to kill their loved ones.
“I urge our members to make use of employee health and wellness facilities to assist them in dealing with any problems they may be facing, whether work or personal,” he said.
Meanwhile, in another gender-based violence case in Limpopo, a 35-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the murder of a 13-month-old baby girl and injurying her mother after running them over with a pickup van.
Provincial police spokesperson Col Malesela Ledwaba said the incident happened on Friday at about 8pm.
He said the woman and the man, her ex-boyfriend, had a heated argument while she and the baby were waiting for a taxi to Segopye village, outside Polokwane.
“A taxi arrived and she and her baby boarded. On the way, the taxi driver apparently informed her that the pickup van was following the taxi.
“They [mother and child] alighted at Marothi [Makwalaneng] and her ex-boyfriend drove over them at high speed,” Ledwaba said.
Mother and child were taken to hospital where the little girl died.
The mother sustained injuries to her legs.
The man is expected to appear in the Mankweng magistrate’s court on Monday on charges of murder and attempted murder. – Additional reporting by Jeanette Chabalala
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