‘Hero’ cop slain with spear
SASCHA Naidoo lived to serve his community, so when the Newcastle grandfather of four heard of a woman in distress, he put down his lunch to rush to her aid.
It was the final heroic action of the SAPS warrant officer and dog handler, who was killed with a spear, allegedly by an escaped psychiatric patient, who was assaulting her.
Tributes have been pouring in for the slain 45-year-old policeman, who will be laid to rest on Saturday. His fifth grandchild is due on his birthday, July 17.
Just minutes before he was attacked in Madadeni, Naidoo was about to have lunch at home, where he had popped in.
Still on duty, he received a broadcast about the assault on his police radio.
“He responded, saying he will attend, but soon after responding he received a call on his cellphone informing him about the same incident. He got up and rushed out the door,” said his wife, Denise .
About an hour later she received a call informing her that her husband had been stabbed.
“I immediately called his commander and I was told to meet them at the hospital. I remember sitting in the waiting area thinking that doctors will quickly patch him up and we will go home.”
She said when she saw him he was in a critical condition.
“He was stabbed in the inner thigh and bleeding very badly. I just prayed for him to be well.” However, he died two days later. Sascha, said a devastated Denise, was a God-fearing family man who lived to serve his community.
“A friend inspired him to join the police force. This was his way of helping people. I never saw a person more committed and dedicated to their job. If anyone needed help he would go the extra mile to help.”
The couple met in high school and soon after matriculating got married.
“Over the years God had blessed us with four children between the ages of 14 and 25 as well as four grandchildren.
“Our entire family including his mom Ruby and our daughter-in-law are devastated by the loss. We loved him dearly.”
The commander of the Newcastle K9 Unit, Captain Marthinus de Waal, said Sascha’s death had come as a big shock to his team.
“He joined the force in 1992 and the K9 unit in 1995 where he worked as a patrol explosive dog handler. Sascha was one of my best officers. He was committed, loyal and dedicated to the profession. Even when he was off-duty he would make arrests.”
De Waal said he worked with two dogs, Hobo and more recently Winter.
“He loved being a dog handler. One of his duties was to teach the dogs how to sniff out firearms and bombs. He spent hours training the dogs. Winter will now be assigned to a new officer.”
KwaZulu-Natal Acting Provincial Commissioner, Major-General Bheki Langa, said he, too, was shocked.
“The member died in the line of duty when he was needed the most. He was performing his duty to protect and serve the community of Madadeni when he was attacked. We strongly condemn the killing of police officers and it is a concern to us,” he said.
“I want to assure the community that we will thoroughly investigate this case and make sure that the suspect is prosecuted and get a harsh sentence should he be found guilty by the court.”
SAPS spokesperson Captain Nqobile Gwala said it is alleged a woman was being stabbed by a man and while approaching the suspect, he stabbed Sascha with a spear.
She said the 59-year-old suspect was overpowered by Sascha’s colleagues and immediately placed under arrest.
The DA’s spokesperson on community safety, MPL Dr Rishigen Viranna, said his party had reliably learned that Sascha was killed by a psychiatric patient, who had escaped from Madadeni Hospital a few days earlier.
“It is also alleged that his escape was not reported to the relevant hospital authorities,” he said.
“If correct, this indicates criminal negligence at a minimum or culpable homicide at most.
“My colleague, Dr Imran Keeka MPL, has already written to the Health MEC Dr Sibongiseni Dlomo and HOD of Health, calling for an urgent investigation into the allegations that the murder-accused escaped from Madadeni Hospital.”