This is the second such incident reported in central South Africa since the 16 days of activism against Gender-based Violence (GBV) began. According to a police statement the 39-year-old sergeant, central to the murder and attempted murder case, belongs to Springbok’s public order policing division.

What is known at this stage is that police were called to the crime scene on Saturday morning by an unnamed complainant where, upon arrival, they found the police officer’s 32-year-old wife dead and a 24-year-old man in a critical condition from multiple gunshot wounds. The incident bears a resemblance to that of the Parys police officer who shot his girlfriend nine times with his service pistol earlier in the week.

The details of this particular incident are that the police officer’s wife was shot in her right shoulder, hip and underneath her right arm. She was declared dead at the scene. The 24-year-old man was shot in the head and is receiving medical attention at Springbok hospital. It is expected that he will soon be transferred to the Upington hospital. The sergeant fled the scene and was later found dead in his car which was parked in Carolusberg Road. It’s believed he committed suicide there, sustaining a gunshot wound under his chin. In the sergeant’s car, police found his wife’s cellphone.

This incident occurred two days after the National Assembly debated the 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence (GBV) with opposition party members of parliament, calling on government to do more to fight the scourge than merely debating it. GBV remains an issue despite the passing of three key bills in 2021 that aim to deal decisively with violence against women and children. The bills are - the Criminal and Related Matters Amendment Bill, Domestic Violence Amendment Bill and the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Bill. They form part of the National Strategic Plan on GBV and Femicide.

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