Speeding car kills officer

THE family of a traffic policeman run over by a speeding motorist have revealed that he was a father of two children left devastated by his tragic death.

James Kolo, a Rand West City traffic department officer, was killed on duty over the weekend.

Police have arrested a suspect. Family representative and cousin Malerato Kolo, said: “This is very painful for the family, he wasn’t sick or anything and we expected him to come home.”

Malerato said the family was not sure of what happened leading up to his death. “What we were told by the police and his colleagues is that he was on duty when it happened, and that the suspect had been arrested,” said Malerato.

According to Rand West City spokesperson Tshidiso Tlharipe, Kolo died after being hit by a speeding vehicle on the R41 between Randfontein and Leratong Hospital.

“The driver of the vehicle has been apprehended and a case has been opened,” said Tlharipe

Kolo was a husband and father of two, and had been a traffic officer for more than 20 years.

Rand West City Local Municipality’s executive mayor Brenda Mahuma described Kolo as an officer with a deep understanding of theory and practice of his work, and commended him for his long service.

“We celebrate the fact that we were blessed with so rare a gift of a fellow community member who was a genuine friend, trustworthy colleague, and a disciplined officer who surrendered his life for his job,” she said

The city expressed condolences to Kolo’s family.

The mayor is expected to visit the family today and formally convey her condolences. The city advised that regulations guiding the conduct of funerals should be observed by community members who will be visiting the family of the deceased.

“We remind communities that the coronavirus is real, and let’s all practise safety measures,” said Mahuma.