SAPS Pays Tribute to Fallen Anti-Gang Officers Killed in Reigerpark
- SAPS held a memorial service on 12 August 2026 for Constable Siphiwe Sibeko and Constable Thapelo Tlomatsane in Westdene
- The two constables were attached to the Provincial Anti-Gang Unit and were killed while responding to a shooting in Reiger Park
- Deputy Police Minister Dr Polly Boshielo and senior SAPS management joined the officers' families and colleagues to pay tribute
- Following the senseless shooting, the African Christian Democratic Party called for all gangs to be banned
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GAUTENG — South African Police Service members, government officials and grieving family gathered in Westdene, Johannesburg on 12 August 2026 to pay their final respects to two constables killed while on duty in Reiger Park the previous Saturday.
Constable Siphiwe Sibeko and Constable Thapelo Tlomatsane, both attached to the Gauteng Provincial Anti-Gang Unit, were fatally ambushed after responding to a shooting incident involving two cousins. The service was held at The Assemblies of Christ church in Westdene.
Senior officials attend Westdene memorial
Deputy Police Minister Dr Polly Boshielo led the official delegation alongside Deputy Provincial Commissioner for Policing, Major General Fred Kekana, and senior SAPS management from across Gauteng. Fellow law enforcement agencies were also represented, with SANDF Lieutenant Colonel Molefe Lekitlane attending with his team, as well as Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department Lieutenant Colonel Kelebogile Thepa.
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Colleagues, commanding officers and the families of the two constables were present at the service to remember what officials described as the two fallen heroes.
Two officers killed while responding to shooting
The constables had been despatched to Reiger Park after reports of a shooting involving two cousins. While attending to the incident, the pair were ambushed and killed. The exact circumstances of the attack have not been officially disclosed.
The Provincial Anti-Gang Unit, to which both officers belonged, operates in high-risk environments targeting organised criminal networks across Gauteng.
In a statement shared with Briefly News, the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) called for gangs to be banned, saying there is no good reason for anyone to join a gang with criminal intentions.
“Those who do so should be charged and sentenced where necessary,” the statement said.
Police Minister visit Reiger Park
In related news, acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia visited Reiger Park after the tragic killings.While addressing the residents,he urged the community to fight against gang violence, drug trafficking, and drug addiction as a shared responsibility.Cachalia argued that the burden could not rest solely on law enforcement and that it is not going to help just to complain and point fingers at law enforement.
Suspect appears in court
Briefly News also reported that Regan Collins, the man arrested in connection with the deadly Reiger Park shootings, has made his first appearance in court. The 23-year-old man appeared before the Boksburg Magistrates Court on Wednesday, 12 August 2026, facing four counts of murder following the deaths of the two officers and two women in Reiger Park.Investigators have established that Collins is a known gangster with a history of serious charges. While he does not have any convictions, the 23-year-old was out on bail at the time. He had several pending cases before his latest arrest that included two counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder.
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Source: Briefly News
