Presidential Services Member Allegedly Kills Himself in Umhlanga Hotel

• A South African Police Service member who was attached to the Presidential Services reportedly took his own life
• This was after he was involved in a hit-and-run accident in which the officer hit a woman and did not stop, resulting in her death
• South Africans were saddened that he killed himself and did not face the consequences of causing the woman's death

Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist in Johannesburg, South Africa, covered police investigations and court cases at Daily Sun for over three years.

UMHLANGA, KWAZULU-NATAL — A South African Police Service officer who was allegedly involved in a hit-and-run which killed a woman took his own life.

SAPS officer commits suicide

According to Reaction Unit South Africa, the officer fled the scene of an accident in Phoenix in KwaZulu-Natal on 16 August. The officer, said to be attached to the Presidential Protective Services, was driving a state black Toyota Fortuner when he hit Phumla Mtshali on the Phoenix Highway. He sped off without stopping to help her. She was later declared dead.

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The police officer allegedly reported his vehicle stolen, and a farmer in the area found the vehicle. The police were also looking for the officer and wanted to charge him with culpable homicide. However, the officer went to a hotel in Umhlanga, where he committed suicide.

South Africans heartbroken by the officer's actions

The woman's death and the suicide saddened South Africans on Facebook.

Lauretta Ras said:

"This is so tragic. Many people cross highways right in front of oncoming vehicles, and accidents have occurred where cars swerve to miss the pedestrian and end up hurting themselves."

Anusha Singh asked:

"Why couldn't he just own up to his crime? What is so difficult? Everyone makes mistakes."

Priya Moodley said:

"He could have just stopped and helped the lady."

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Mkhesane Senzo Shangase said:

"It was clear from the word go that something fishy happened, but I guess panic got the better of the officer to try and manipulate the crime scene."

Richard Mathenjwa said:

"I feel like the story of committing suicide is also a cover-up."

Mpumalanga police officer kills partner before committing suicide

In a similar article, Briefly News reported that a Mpumalanga police officer killed his police officer girlfriend before killing himself.

The officer saw his girlfriend with another man; he got out of the car, confronted them, and shot the woman before taking his own life.

Source: Briefly News