A minibus-taxi driver has been arrested after Mpumalanga traffic officer Kgaugelo Moela was struck and killed while on duty on the N4 toll road near Mbombela.
The provincial Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison said Moela was working at Alkmaar on Monday when the vehicle hit him. The driver allegedly left the scene after the collision.
Department spokesperson Moeti Mmusi told SABC News that the suspect was later arrested while attempting to board a taxi to Mozambique.
The department condemned the killing and called for motorists to respect traffic officers carrying out their duties on the province’s roads.
Officials had not yet released full details of the charges or confirmed when the driver would appear in court at the time of publication. Any allegation relating to the driver’s conduct beyond the confirmed collision remains subject to the criminal process.
Moela’s death has prompted renewed concern about the risks faced by officers who conduct stops and traffic-control operations on busy national routes. The N4 is one of Mpumalanga’s main transport corridors and carries heavy passenger and freight traffic between Gauteng, Mbombela and the Mozambican border.
The department said it was supporting the officer’s family. Further information on memorial arrangements and the court process is expected from provincial authorities and police.
