Libode police officers murdered during spaza shop robbery response

Two South African police officers were shot and killed in Libode, near Mthatha, while responding to an armed robbery at a spaza shop in the Ziphunzana Location. The deceased have been identified as Warrant Officer Thando Magoxo, 51, of the Mthatha National Intervention Unit, and Constable Ntlahla Tyhali, 30, of the Mthatha Public Order Policing Unit. During the attack, the suspects also stole both officers' service pistols.

Following a 72-hour police operation, authorities have arrested two suspects, a 29-year-old male and a 29-year-old female, who were found in possession of an AK-47 rifle and ammunition. In a subsequent confrontation near Sibangweni Location, a 35-year-old male suspect was fatally wounded by police after allegedly opening fire on officers. A pistol and ammunition were recovered at the scene.

Acting National Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane described the incident as an attack on the authority of the State and has directed maximum resources to be deployed to the investigation to recover the stolen firearms and bring those responsible to justice.