Two men drowned in a farm dam during a confrontation in Delmas, Mpumalanga police said.
Provincial police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Jabu Ndubane said the incident took place on Wednesday, December 18.
Ndubane said the security officer drowned while attempting to arrest a suspect. The suspect also drowned while fleeing from the security officer.
“The suspect was allegedly seen stealing potatoes on the farm. Two security officers approached him, but the suspect fled and jumped into a nearby dam,” Ndubane said.
“One of the security officers pursued the suspect and jumped into the dam. When his colleague noticed he was struggling, he also jumped in to assist.”
Police said the foreman working on the farm noticed all three individuals were struggling in the dam and jumped in to help.
The foreman was able to rescue one of the security officers.
“Police and relevant stakeholders were summoned to the scene. The two bodies were confirmed deceased,” Ndubane said.
The Acting Police Commissioner in Mpumalanga, Major General Zeph Mkwanazi expressed his condolences to the family of the security officer who was dedicated to his work.
Mkwanazi also issued a stern warning to criminals and stated crime does not pay.
In a separate incident, police arrested a 41-year-old man, a parolee, following a robbery incident that happened on Sunday, December 15, whereby a State firearm was stolen from a member of the SA Police Service stationed at Malelane.
robin.francke@iol.co.za
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