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The City of Cape Town is shocked, saddened and angered by the senseless murder of a traffic officer in Kensington this morning.

Details of the incident are still emerging and preliminary information indicates the officer had pulled over a taxi when the driver attacked him. Further details will be communicated and until such time as the officer's family has been informed, his name will not be released.

On behalf of the City, I want to convey my deepest condolences to the family of the officer. We will assist them in any way possible through this very difficult time.

Our officers are there to serve and protect, but there is a troubling attitude of carelessness and disrespect towards them, disparaging the vital work they do. They put their lives on the line daily and what should have been a routine stop has turned into a tragedy.

I have asked the Safety and Security Investigations Unit to assist the South African Police Service where possible to ensure that we find the killer. In addition, all our enforcement agencies – Traffic Service, Law Enforcement, Metro Police and specialised units – are working on an operation to clamp down on taxis to ensure the perpetrator is brought to book. This will be rolled out city-wide.

Taxi enforcement takes place around the clock and we will intensify these operations.

Law enforcement on all levels is a tough and dangerous job, but we must do all we can to dissuade attacks. It can't just be that our officers are murdered and it's business as usual.

We call on members of the public to come forward with any information that could assist in bringing the person responsible for this heinous act to book.

The Executive Mayor has authorised a R50 000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the killer.

In addition, R5 000 is offered by the Safety and Security Directorate for information that will lead to his arrest.

There are men and women of character willing to serve selflessly so we can live and go about our daily business securely. We owe them the support and services they need to do their jobs safely.

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