The family of Soweto police officer, Constable Nhlamulo Vukeya told Gauteng Police Minister Bheki Cele that they heard about their child’s death through social media.
Vukeya who was attached by to Moroka police station’s crime prevention got shot and killed by criminals while on patrol at Nancefield hostel in Soweto. A shooting took place after the unit stopped a suspicious vehicle.
The deceased’s sister Hlamolani Vukeya said her brother was 28 years old and had been a police officer for four years. She said her brother was shot below his bullet resistant vest in the abdomen. He later died in hospital.
“My brother left one child and I was hurt by the way I heard about his death. I got calls from people confirming whether indeed my brother is dead or not and this was before the family was not yet informed by police services. Why would they tell other people before us? My brother responded to the scene but was also not informed. He later heard other officers talking about it on the police radio in the car he drove. Though it occurred that way, we are happy that Minister Cele visited us,” said the deceased’s sister.
The deceased mother Khensani Vukeya said she also learned about her son’s death through other people. She added that she was in Limpopo when she got a call informing her that her son has been killed.
“We are happy with the support Cele gave us”, she said.
Police Minister Bheki Cele also apologised for the manner in which the family of Vukeya knew about his death.
“I feel their pain because that is not how Africans do. We consider the birth and death of a child as a serious matter. I am also concerned about police officers who die at the young age as they leave their family devastated. We established an education trust for police officers who die before reaching their pension age and on duty to assist their left children to further their studies”, said Cele.
image sources
- POLICE OFFICER: Gauteng Newspaper
