Manhunt for
soldier who killed two in shooting spree
1
February 2017, 06:15am
ANA
Reporters
Cape Town – A South African National Defence Force (SANDF)
soldier who shot dead his girlfriend and her female friend, wounding two others
was still on the run several hours after the shooting incident on Tuesday.
SANDF spokesman Brigadier General Mafi Mgobozi confirmed that
police were still seeking the man shortly before 10pm on Tuesday.
A statement released earlier read: “The South African National
Defence Force on Tuesday confirmed that one of its soldiers shot dead his
girlfriend and her female friend, wounding two others in the process, including
a police officer who tried to intervene, in Ntuzuma, outside Durban.
“The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) confirms that
on Tuesday, 31 January 2017, a member of SANDF from 8 South African Infantry
Battalion (8 SAI) in Upington, Northern Cape, in possession of an R4 Assault
Rifle, fatally shot two civilian females and wounded a third civilian (female)
and a policeman in the Ntuzuma area in the KwaZulu Natal Province.”
According to the statement police had activated its Tactical
Response Team (TRT) to track down the soldier. The military police had also
been dispatched to the scene of the shootings.
No comment was immediately available from police.
“The SANDF will cooperate with the law enforcement agencies to
ensure that the law takes its course. The SANDF will not tolerate, condone nor
dismiss any type or form of ill-discipline committed by any of its members
regardless of rank, status or position held no matter the circumstances and or
situation under which the transgression(s) are committed,” read the statement
further.
Mgobozi said that the soldier held the rank of rifleman and had
not been on duty in Durban.
“He was supposed to go on guard duty yesterday. He drew his
weapon and then disappeared,” he said.
