Cape Town – Constable Hazel Jako, who was knocked down while trying to apprehend a suspected car thief in Strand on Monday night, died in front of her life and work partner, Constable Thanduxolo Mbonyane.
The couple, who lived together in Kenilworth, had just celebrated the birth of a baby girl, and Jako, 35, had recently returned to work from maternity leave.
Just after 6pm on Monday, while on patrol together as members of the Maitland Flying Squad, Jako and Mbonyane were directed to the scene of a car chase that was under way.
On Broadway Road, they saw a Renault Clio being pursued by other police vehicles.
The Clio changed lanes and came charging directly at Jako’s vehicle, said Mbonyane
“I shouted for her to get out, because I could see that a crash was imminent,” Mbonyane said tearfully.
“Both she and I did. But she faced the car and signalled for it to stop.”
The car slammed into Jako and the police vehicle from which she had emerged.
Her body was flung through the air and she died on the scene.
