Johannesburg – A birthday celebration in Protea Glen, Soweto, turned into a scene of horror on Saturday when a police captain allegedly shot and killed his girlfriend, a fellow police officer, and her brother before taking his own life, according to police reports released on Sunday.
Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi confirmed the tragic incident, stating that three other people sustained gunshot wounds during the shooting. "The captain reportedly called the girlfriend to the side, and that is when people saw him draw a firearm and shoot her and her brother dead, while three other civilians sustained injuries. He then turned the gun on himself," said Nevhuhulwi.
Police have opened two counts of murder, three counts of attempted murder, and an inquest docket at Protea police station for further investigation.
The deceased policewoman has been identified as Sergeant Victoria Ramoshaba, who was stationed at Yeoville police station. Her partner, Captain John Monyai, was stationed in Hillbrow. The brother of Sergeant Ramoshaba, Collet, was also killed in the incident.
Ward councillor Phelelani Sindani, speaking on behalf of the family, revealed that the couple had been together for 16 years and had two children. He described their relationship as one with "normal arguments like any couple."
"According to the family, there were issues like in any other relationship, but they never thought it would result in fatal consequences. The family said when the captain arrived at the house, he asked to speak to Ramoshaba and they had an argument. He then started shooting. The cop shot the brother, Collet, and everyone else who was trying to stop him from shooting," Sindani said.
Nevhuhulwi corroborated this account, stating, "It is alleged that the group was at home celebrating the birthday of the captain's girlfriend, who is also a police officer. The captain reportedly called the girlfriend to the side and that is when people saw him draw a firearm and shoot her and her brother dead, while three other civilians sustained injuries. He then turned the gun on himself."
The three individuals who were injured were reportedly attempting to intervene and stop Captain Monyai from shooting Sergeant Ramoshaba.
The aftermath of the tragedy has left both families reeling, according to Councillor Sindani. "They’ve decided to have separate discussions and then come back together to decide whether they will have a joint funeral or not. But you'd understand that on the woman's side, there are two bodies."
Sindani emphasised the need for the families to work together for the sake of the couple's two children, aged 16 and younger. "So, we’re hoping they’ll reach a decision without conflict because two children came out of this relationship. One is 16, and the other is younger. For the sake of these kids, we hope the families can work together.”
Neighbours recounted the harrowing events of the night, initially mistaking the gunshots for a routine crime incident.
Phumzile Tshabalala, a neighbour, said she was woken by the gunshots but "didn't think much of it. I even thought maybe the shots were happening about a block away. I heard four shots, one after the other, and I went back to sleep. It was only when my other neighbour called me about 15 minutes later that I found out what had happened."
Another neighbour, who requested anonymity, said he initially suspected a burglary. "I was heading off to bed. They [gunshots] were consecutive and it all happened very fast. I looked at the neighbourhood group chat and found out that everyone seemed to agree the sound came from my neighbour's home. The police were called."
He added, "The gate was closed, so you couldn't see anything or what was happening inside the yard. When the police went in, they thought they were responding to a break-in. I never imagined that there would be bodies. I had greeted her [deceased sergeant] earlier that day.”
Tshabalala expressed her shock and grief over Sergeant Ramoshaba's death, describing her as a "friendly and helpful" neighbour. “She is leaving behind a big hole. I've known her since 2013 and we practically raised our children together. Aus' Rama is gone. Her partner seemed like a kind and quiet man.”
The provincial commissioner of police in Gauteng, Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni, expressed his deep sorrow over the incident. “We give our members these tools [guns] to protect themselves against criminals, so it is disheartening to see the very same tools being used to kill their loved ones," said Mthombeni.
He urged police officers to utilise the resources available to them through the Employee Health and Wellness (EHW) programme. “I urge our members to make use of employee health and wellness facilities to assist them in dealing with any problems they may be facing, whether work or personal. EHW is always there,” he said.
This tragedy underscores the critical need for mental health support and resources within the police force, where officers face immense stress and trauma.
Meanwhile, in a separate incident highlighting the ongoing issue of gender-based episodes in Limpopo, a 35-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the murder of a 13-month-old baby girl and injurying her mother after running them over with a pickup van.
Provincial police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said the incident happened on Friday at about 8pm. He explained that the woman and her ex-boyfriend had a heated argument while she and the baby were waiting for a taxi to Segopye village, outside Polokwane.
“A taxi arrived and she and her baby boarded. On the way, the taxi driver apparently informed her that the pickup van was following the taxi. They [mother and child] alighted at Marothi [Makwalaneng] and her ex-boyfriend drove over them at high speed,” Ledwaba said.
Both mother and child were taken to hospital, where the baby girl died. The mother sustained injuries to her legs. The man is expected to appear in the Mankweng magistrate’s court on Monday on charges of murder and attempted murder.
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