Six suspects nabbed for Luke Fluers’ murder

Police have made a breakthrough in the brutal killing of football star, Luke Fleurs.

Six suspects were arrested in Slovoville in Soweto this morning.

The 24-year-old Kaizer Chiefs player was shot and killed in a hijacking incident at a petrol station in Honeydew last week.

According to the police, Fleurs was confronted by two armed males who came driving a white BMW 1 series, while waiting to be served by a petrol attendant.

They allegedly took him out of his VW Golf 8 GTI and shot him once in the upper body before fleeing with his car.

Police spokesperson, Mavela Masondo, says the football star’s vehicle was stripped when it was recovered earlier this week.

“Police believe that the suspects are part of a syndicate that is responsible for car hijacking in Gauteng, and the search for more suspects is continuing,” he says.

The suspects will make their first court appearance on Friday.

A memorial service for the 24-year-old will be held at the FNB stadium tomorrow.

As violent crimes continue to wreak havoc in the country, Fleurs’ murder happened amid a raging debate on what strategies the South African Police Service should adopt for them to win the war against crime.

At least 84 people are murdered daily in South Africa.

Veteran violence monitor, Professor Mary de Haas, says there is a dire need for a proper a firearms unit within the police service.

She says the number of unlicensed guns in the hands of criminals in the country is concerning.

According to the South African Gunowners Association (SAGA), 10% of the SAPS’ firearms have been reported as lost or stolen over the past two decades, while 9.5 million rounds of ammunition have gone missing since 2016. Some of them are suspected to end in the hands of criminals.

De Haas believes that there is no political will from the government to combat crime in the country.

She adds that Parliament is failing in its oversight job.

The scholar has also raised discontent with the lack of independence at the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA).

De Haas says PSIRA is failing to regulate the industry, which has now become fertile ground for bogus security companies that are often associated with politicians and taxi bosses.