17 police officers killed between July and September, says Hawks

JOHANNESBURG - The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations (Hawks) said 17 police officers have been killed between July and September 2024.

The Hawks said four were killed in the line of duty, while thirteen were killed off-duty.

The Hawks held a media briefing on Sunday to update on its crime-fighting statistics for the second quarter of the financial year.

Hawks head Godfrey Lebeya said all police killings receive priority investigation, as they are an attack on the State.

“There exists a blue wall in South Africa — a human wall formed by men and women in blue. The wall that divides and shields the good from the bad elements in society. The stronger the wall, the safer the community. The weaker the wall, the happier the criminals. 

“Criminals will continuously attack this wall in order to access the protected good citizens of this, my beloved country. An attack on police officials is an assault on society and indeed an attack on the State.”