Constable Stach Jantjies and her boyfriend Constable Cerwynn Williams were shot dead in a flat in Kariega early on Thursday morning by Jantjies' former partner, who then killed himself.
The incident took place in Jantjies' rented flat in Mosel. Police responded to reports of gunshots shortly before 1am on Thursday and found three constables with fatal wounds. Riaan van Heerden, 48, a member of the Gqeberha Flying Squad, forced entry into the residence before shooting the couple and turning the gun on himself.
Jantjies, 22, who was based at Kwanobuhle police station, had visited her mother in Gqeberha on Wednesday afternoon with Williams, 24, of Kariega police station. Family members described the pair as happy and said they had been dating for four months.
Eastern Cape police commissioner Lieutenant General Vuyisile Ncata offered condolences and said trauma support would be provided to affected officers. The deaths form part of ongoing concerns about violence within the South African Police Service.
