A SHOCKING incident unfolding ekasi.
A police constable has allegedly been holding his family hostage in Buffer Zone in Mamelodi East, Tshwane, since around 8am on Tuesday, 9 September.
The 32-year-old officer has been holding his mother and nephew hostage.
Some residents who live around the area described the incident as shocking and disheartening.
"We know the police officer, he is a nice person, but we don't know what happened for him to do such a thing to his own family," said a resident.
Another resident said she has been at the scene since around 12pm, hoping to see the family rescued.
Tshwane District Police Commissioner, MajorGeneral Samuel Thine said the constable, who is stationed at Boschkop Police Station but deployed at the essential infrastructure task team, is off-duty.
"A young boy managed to come out of the house and related the information to the first responders. However, we are not too sure whether there is anyone who has been injured. The 14-year-old boy, a nephew to the police constable, indicated two shots were fired.
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Earlier, Gauteng police spokeswoman, Brigadier Brenda Muridili said police hostage negotiators and the special task force, including other units from the South African Police Service, were still on the ground.
"It's reported that a police constable held his family hostage at around 8am. He is alleged to have fired two shots before the police arrived on the scene. He refused to let his grandmother, nephew and another young boy out of the house," she said.
Muridili said at this stage the police can only confirm that three people were in the house with the constable.
"The police on the scene are also investigating the motive which led to this situation," she said.
This is a developing story.
