Police have confirmed that investigations into a fatal attack in Reiger Park, Ekurhuleni, which left two members of an anti‑gang unit dead, are progressing and that an alleged gang member has been arrested in connection with the incident.
National police, deputy minister attend funerals
The arrest of the accused, identified by police as Regan Collis, was announced at the funeral service of one of the slain officers, Siphiwe Sibeko, in Springs on Saturday, where Acting National Police Commissioner Puleng Dimpane delivered the keynote address. Sibeko and his colleague Thapelo Tlometsane were shot and killed in the Reiger Park attack earlier this month. Police also linked Collis to the murders of two women who were shot on the same night.
Deputy Police Minister Polly Boshielo attended the service and described the killings as "an assault on the state", signalling the seriousness with which national officials are treating the incident. Dimpane called the killings "unacceptable" and said investigations were progressing smoothly.
"Unacceptable."
"An assault on the state."
Investigations and possible accomplices
Police have said they believe the accused did not act alone when the attack was carried out. No further operational details, including the identities or number of suspected accomplices, have been released by investigators.
The arrest and the link to additional murders on the same night expand the scope of the probe beyond the deaths of the two officers. Police stated that inquiries into the multiple scenes and potential connections are ongoing.
Context and implications
The killings have drawn attention to the risks faced by members of specialised anti‑gang units and to the broader challenge of gang violence in parts of Gauteng. The involvement of senior police and the deputy minister at the funerals underscores the matter's public significance and the pressure on law‑enforcement to deliver arrests and successful prosecutions.
Police leaders urged communities to continue co‑operating with investigators and to provide information that could assist with tracing other suspects or clarifying the sequence of events on the night in question. They reiterated that community intelligence is often central to dismantling organised criminal structures.
- Two police officers were killed in an ambush in Reiger Park, Ekurhuleni.
- Alleged gang member Regan Collis has been arrested and linked to the deaths of two women on the same night.
- Police say investigations are ongoing and that Collis was likely not acting alone.
| Name | Role | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Siphiwe Sibeko | Anti‑gang unit officer | Killed; funeral held in Springs |
| Thapelo Tlometsane | Anti‑gang unit officer | Killed |
| Roleen Lessing | Civilian (one of the women shot) | Laid to rest on Saturday |
| Regan Collis | Alleged gang member | Arrested; linked to multiple killings |
Authorities have not yet disclosed whether Collis has appeared in court or what formal charges have been registered against him in relation to the killings; police communications indicated only that an arrest had been made and that investigative teams were continuing to gather evidence.
The funerals and statements by senior police officials are likely to increase scrutiny on investigative progress and to raise public expectations that further arrests will follow. The police appeal to communities to provide information remains central to efforts to curb gang‑related violence and to bring those responsible to account.
Further updates are expected as detectives complete forensic work, interview witnesses and pursue leads linked to the Reiger Park attack and the related shootings of the two women.
