Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has offered a R250,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the murder of LEAP officer, Mario Pretorius.

5 July 2023

Published By Everything ZA

Pretorius was shot and killed on August 1st, 2023 while on duty in Khayelitsha. He was responding to a call about a robbery when he was ambushed and shot. He died at the scene.

Hill-Lewis said that the reward was being offered in the hope that it would bring the perpetrators to justice. He said that Pretorius was a dedicated officer who was committed to serving his community.

“Mario Pretorius was a hero,” Hill-Lewis said. “He was killed in the line of duty while protecting the people of Khayelitsha. We will not rest until his killers are brought to justice.”

The reward is being offered in conjunction with the Western Cape Government and the South African Police Service. Anyone with information about the murder is urged to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111.

The murder of Pretorius has sent shockwaves through the LEAP community and the wider Cape Town community. LEAP is a unit of the South African Police Service that is tasked with fighting crime in informal settlements. Pretorius was a well-respected member of the unit and his death is a great loss.

The police are investigating the murder and have made some arrests. However, they are still appealing to the public for information. The reward is a significant amount of money and it is hoped that it will encourage people to come forward with information that could lead to the arrest of the perpetrators.

Pretorius’s death is a reminder of the dangers that police officers face on a daily basis. It is also a reminder of the importance of community policing. If people see something, they should say something. With the help of the community, the police can bring Pretorius’s killers to justice.