A lengthy hostage situation that began on Thursday morning ended tragically just before midnight when a police constable and his 18-year-old nephew were found dead from gunshot wounds inside a family home.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) from Mamelodi East responded to the scene at approximately 08:00 after reports of a disturbance. Upon interviewing witnesses, investigators established that the incident stemmed from a family dispute. Witnesses reported that the constable, later identified as 32-year-old Thapelo Mashigo, had fired two shots before police arrived and was refusing to let his 69-year-old mother and his nephew leave the house. It was ascertained that only the three individuals were inside the residence.
Specialized hostage negotiators were deployed and managed to secure the release of the elderly mother at 23:00. She was treated by paramedics on the scene before being transported to a hospital for further care.
The standoff was resolved just before midnight as members of the elite Special Task Force (STF) were preparing to tactically enter the house. At that stage, negotiators were still engaged in attempts to persuade Constable Mashigo to surrender when two gunshot sounds were heard from inside the home.
STF members immediately entered the premises and discovered the body of Constable Mashigo. A further search of the house led to the discovery of his 18-year-old nephew’s body, also with gunshot wounds.
In a statement, police confirmed that the SAPS Employee Health and Wellness unit was on the scene to provide immediate psychosocial support and will continue to offer support to the affected family and the constable’s colleagues.
A case of murder and kidnapping has been opened, alongside an inquest docket. The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) will be informed of the incident, as is standard procedure when a death occurs as a result of police action or involves a police officer.
Constable Thapelo Mashigo was based at the Boschkop police station and was currently deployed at the regional Essential Infrastructure Task Team. He joined the SAPS in 2019.
