The Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD) wishes to confirm the death of Mr Velaphi Khwela, a Senior Investigator base at the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial office in Durban.

Mr Khwela was shot several times by unknown gunment on Friday, 28 July 2000 at around 20:00 near Isipingo, while on his way home.

Mr Khwela who was on stand-by duty was shot several times inside the car in which he was travelling. He was certified dead at the scene, in the presence of the ICD Provincial Head for KwaZulu-Natal, Adv Stix Mdladla.

The motive for the shooting is not yet known. The ICD has been in touch with the Khwela family from immediately after the shooting and is keeping the family informed of all developments.

We wish to express our shock and outrage at this incident. We also wish to pledge our full co-operation with the South African Police Service to ensure that the perpetrators of this heinous act will be brought to book.

We wish to express our gratitude to members of the South African Police Service for their prompt action and continued co-operation and assistance since the incident occured.

The brutal killing of Sergeant Kawula and Detective Sergeant Ngcele yesterday has also been met with outrage and shock. These senseless killings epitomise lack of respect for law enforcement officers in this country.

We wish to endorse the fact that drastic intervention is necessary to curb this spiralling trend of police killings in our country.

We wish to appeal to all peace-loving members of these communities to assist the police in exposing these thugs. We need to participate in our liberation from crime. It is not merely the problem of the South African Police Service. We need to initiate our won acts of liberation. We need to take back our streets and neighbourhoods.

Contact person:

Tsoeu Ntsane
082-809-1927