Deputy Police Minister concerned about violence within police service

The funeral service of Tlhonolofatso Machete in Mopye, Limpopo.

Deputy Police Minister Cassel Mathale has expressed concern about violence within the police service. Mathale was speaking at the funeral service of a slain female police constable at Mopye village in Limpopo.

Tlhonolofatso Machete was shot and killed by her ex-partner Matimba Ngobeni inside the Ritavi Police Station on Monday.

Ngobeni is also a police officer.

Mathale says it is disheartening that Machete was killed by a person who was supposed to protect her.

” As I stand before you today, my heart is bleeding even heavier because Constable Machete’s life was cut short by one of our own. A fellow police officer and a person close to her. The person we would all have expected to be her defender and protector. We have condemned and decried the killing of our men and women in blue and we have called on all SAPS members to protect each other against unscrupulous criminals by making sure that when the dust settles, we are not to pick up bodies of our fellow colleagues.”

#sapsLIM Deputy Minister of Police, Mr Cassel Mathale delivered the eulogy at the funeral service of Constable Tlhonolofatso Fredens Machete (31) in Mopye village, Red vulture Sports ground in Mopani District, Bolobedu South.

“We must earn the trust and respect of our… pic.twitter.com/vDtD6IASeY

— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) December 13, 2025