Policeman, girlfriend found shot

Mystery surrounds the shooting of a police constable and his girlfriend, whose bodies were found last night in the Kwazakhele house she shared with her brother.

Her brother was not at home at the time.

Although the constable’s gun was found at the scene, police said it was too early to say if it was a murder-suicide or if the couple had been murdered by someone else.

The victims have not yet been named.

Shocked residents gathered outside the house in Nomjila Street shortly after the shooting.

Police spokesman Captain Andre Beetge said the motive and who fired the shots were still unclear.

“All we know is that the shooting occurred shortly after 5pm.

“The weapon found on the scene was the deceased police officer’s service pistol, but it is unclear whether he was the one wielding [it].”

The constable was stationed at the Port Elizabeth airport, while his girlfriend worked for a private security company.

One neighbour said he had heard three loud bangs as he came home from work at 5.10pm, but did not realise they were gunshots or know where they had come from.

“I thought it was fireworks,” the man, who did not want to be named, said.

“Only when other neighbours went to the house and found the bodies inside did we realise what had happened.

“But I don’t think this relationship was healthy,” he said.

A friend of the dead woman said the two had not been dating for long. “They were together for less than four months,” she said.

“I was not aware of any problems between them.”