Update

GEORGE NEWS - The man accused of shooting a provincial traffic officer near Pacaltsdorp on 7 August 2020 pleaded not guilty to all seven charges against him in the George Regional Court on Tuesday 26 July. 

The charges against Bonginkosi Ndevu (30) include two of attempted murder, possession of illegal firearms, possession of illegal ammunition and pointing of a firearm.

Janneké Bergman was shot when she assisted two of her colleagues during an arrest after they pulled over a silver Audi A4 in Beach Road, on the bridge near Stanmar Motors.

While officers were handcuffing Ndevu, a fight ensued during which he pulled out a firearm and shot Bergman in the knee and left cheek.

He fled the scene on foot with the hand-cuffs still around one wrist.

The bullet that hit Bergman's cheek exited through her neck, just above her shoulder.

Ndevu, from Khayelitsha in Cape Town, was arrested shortly afterwards when he was spotted walking along the highway. He allegedly opened fire on the two police officers who chased after him. The officers returned fire, wounding him twice.

Two firearms, one of which was Bergman's service pistol, and an undisclosed amount of cash were found in his possession.

First witness

During his testimony, one of the arresting officers, Col Tinus Jaftha, said he and a colleague were on their way to Mossel Bay from George when he saw suspicious activity near Stanmar Motors from the traffic light on the corner of Discovery and York streets. 

He told the court that a traffic officer ran towards their vehicle asking for help as her partner had just been shot and the shooter was still near the scene. 

As Jaftha was running to the scene he noticed a man in a black jacket walking away in the direction of the N2 on-ramp on the Mossel Bay side of the bridge.

The court heard that Jaftha saw two traffic vehicles on the scene and the victim lying in the road. Bystanders pointed him in the direction in which the suspect had fled and warned him that the suspect was armed.

After a chase on foot along the N2, Jaftha eventually caught up with the suspect and ordered him to stop. The suspect turned around pointing a firearm at the officer. Jaftha also saw the handcuffs attached to the suspect's left hand.

He told court it seemed that the suspect was about to open fire when his firearm jammed. Jaftha fired a warning shot and the suspect turned around and ran.

He said that during the chase the suspect turned around and opened fire. Jaftha responded by shooting back.

The suspect, Bonginkosi Ndevu, was arrested shortly after the incident. He was shot by police and sustained injuries to his leg and arm.

As the chase ensued, the suspect attempted to shoot Jaftha numerous times before another officer arrived on the scene and also ordered the suspect to stop. The suspect turned around and pointed his gun at the officer, who then fired one shot before the suspect turned around and started running again.

The chase eventually ended when the officers caught up with the suspect. He dropped two firearms and surrendered. Upon his arrest, for which they used the handcuffs that were on him already, the officers saw he had sustained one gunshot wound to an arm and one to a leg.

During Jaftha's testimony, he identified the suspect as Ndevu. Ndevu remains in custody in the Eastern Cape.

The case serves in front of Magistrate Emma Moloro and Hanki Marx acts for the state.

The trial was postponed until 3 October.