The family of slain police officer Lindela Mraqisa said they have been “failed dismally” by his colleagues after finding out about his death through another victim’s family.
The mourning family were paid a visit by Police Minister Bheki Cele and SAPS top brass on Monday after Mraqisa was shot and killed, along with four others, on Saturday evening in Gugulethu.
Mraqisa was attached to the Western Cape’s Protection and Security Service (PSS) Division, and had served as a close protector to Deputy Minister Cassel Mathale since 2019.
Mraqisa’s brother, Mthobeli Mraqisa, said they were aggrieved by the inefficiencies of the SAPS.
“We found out about my brother’s murder on Sunday morning through the family of one of the other victims who was also murdered in the mass shooting. We have been failed dismally by ... the colleagues of my brother. We still do not know who the investigating officer is, we have no case number and have not been able to identify his body at the mortuary as a result of this.
“As a family we are hurt a lot by the murder of my brother,” said Mraqisa.
Mthobeli said his brother, a father of four, adored his family.
“Lindela was humble, he loved people, especially his family, he didn't care where you are from. He was a father of three boys and one girl. The other people who were with him during the incident were his friends, his close friends.
“We are deeply hurt ... Now we can’t even get hold of some of his belongings and we are worried that some of his belongings are missing. We were supposed to do some things today, but we don’t have his ID and driver's licence. We feel the investigating officer could have at least come to the family before, now they have taken Lindela to Salt River (mortuary) and we as his family are mostly in the dark,” said Mraqisa.
Cele, along with the National Commissioner of the SAPS, Fannie Masemola, listened to the grievances from the Mraqisa family before making their way to the family of Asavela Mathe –another off-duty member who was killed in Mfuleni on Sunday morning. Mathe was attached to the Samora Machel police station.
Cele confirmed she had not been living in Mfuleni and lived at police barracks, but was visiting a friend at the weekend. One person had been arrested in connection with her murder.
He assured Mraqisa’s family that the missing documents would be issued to them. Cele said the details leading to Mathe’s killing were “mysterious”.
He said they had since mobilised maximum resources to trace and apprehend those behind the murders.
Cape Times