From Joy to Grief: Metro Cop’s Family Mourns His Death After He Embraced Fatherhood
The family of the slain metro cop has spoken following his death, revealing that he just welcomed a baby weeks ago.
Metro Cop Shot Dead In Parking Lot Scuffle
Thirty-eight-year-old Johannesburg metro police department (JMPD) officer, Sibusiso Zikalala, was shot dead after a barrage of bullets outside a Braamfontein nightclub in Johannesburg on 26 June.
Zikalala, who was armed with a gun, tried to leave the parking lot but was blocked by the police officer’s vehicle. A verbal altercation ensued, which quickly escalated into a physical confrontation.
The metro officer tried to drag the cop out of his car and within minutes, he was gunned down.
Metro Cop’s Family Mourns
Zikalala’s family has spoken after his death and revealed that he welcomed a new baby two months ago. He also had three other children aged eight, 10 and 14, who are fatherless now.
His uncle Jeffrey Zikalala told SowetanLIVE that Zikalala was a peaceful man, unlike what was portrayed in the video:
“I didn’t watch most of these videos but the bit that I saw was nothing like my nephew. Sibusiso was very polite but energetic. He was loud and always on a crime-solving mission.
“I have never seen him that angry. Something must have happened to him to get that angry and we want to know what that is. The person displayed in that video was not the person we knew.”
The Day Zikalala Was Shot Dead
He also spoke about the moment he was told that Sibusiso was shot:
“I was called at 2am. I automatically assumed he was on duty and had come under fire during his undercover missions. I then rushed to the scene and I was told by police on the scene that there was an altercation and a police officer was involved.
“I was so confused. I still am because I don’t know where it all started. I am hoping Ipid [Independent Police Investigative Directorate] will help us get some answers, ”