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Johannesburg - The aunt of the police officer who survived a shooting on the N3 where two of his colleagues were killed in a hail of bullets has called for police to make their voices heard.
"Fight for your rights because these criminals have more rights than you," Ellen Baloyi said.
She was speaking at a memorial service in Lombardy where Constables Maisha Mafokoane and Mthokozisi Myeza were being honoured.
Dressed in a black outfit with a black and white shawl draped over her shoulders, Baloyi said government had put in place laws that protected criminals more than the police - the protectors of the country's citizens.
She urged them to take a day off and solely dedicate it to voicing their grievances to the government.
Her suggestions received loud applause and cheers from mourners.
Anger
Baloyi said she was angered by how police officers were being killed in the country.
Her nephew, Constable Steven Mafanelo had come from a bloodline of police officers.
"His great-grandparents were police officers. None of them were ever shot," she said.
She described what her nephew had gone through as "a war."
Mafanelo was recovering in hospital.
Meanwhile, police officials who took the podium hailed the deceased police officers as brave, young men who served the country well.
Some of the men and women in blue honoured the police officers by rendering poems while the official police band delivered musical items.
As the band played "Amazing Grace," soft sobs could be heard coming from relatives of the police officers.
