Chippa Mateane

Case record: Chippa Mateane

Background

Chippa Mateane was a police superintendent who went on a killing spree in the West Rand.

The offence

Mateane killed people during a rampage that began around 6.30pm in nearby Tarlton and continued to Kagiso police station.

At about 6.30pm in Tarlton, Mateane shot three women and a two-year-old boy.

• The women who were shot were aged 24, 30 and 48.
• A fourth woman aged 21 was wounded.

Mateane then arrived at Kagiso police station about thirty minutes later and opened fire in an office and corridor, killing four colleagues.

• A fifth person was wounded in the chest.
• Three of the dead were found lying under a table surrounded by blood-splattered dockets.

Mateane fled in a police vehicle.

During the chase, a police car ran over and killed a pedestrian, bringing the total death toll to 10.

The killing spree included the deaths of:

• Matshidiso Selena Mosia (38), Mateane’s girlfriend, who was described as romantically linked to one of the women killed.
• Lerato Mosia (24).
• Lebogang Mosia (two; also described as 18 months old).
• Dineo Moobi (21).
• A one-year-old baby (also described as a one-year-old baby; separate reporting stated a one-year-old baby died).
• Four senior police officers killed at Kagiso police station:
  • Senior Superintendent MM Zondo
  • Captain TD Masipa
  • Captain JM Sokhela
  • Captain Frans Monama

A fifth police officer was wounded in the chest.

A woman was critically injured during the crime spree and was treated at a hospital.

Investigation

A police spokeswoman said: "He was finally shot dead himself during a confrontation with police in the early hours of Tuesday morning."

National police chief Jackie Selebi visited the scene by helicopter on Monday night and said: "It is unknown what sparked such an unacceptable level of rage ... and it pains me to even try and understand."

Local media reported that Mateane had been troubled by his relationship with his girlfriend, and that he had betrayed no sign of losing control.

Police spokesperson Senior-Superintendent Mary Martins-Engelbrecht said a woman injured in the shooting gave detectives a statement on Tuesday at Leratong hospital. Martins-Engelbrecht declined to expand on what the statement contained. Martins-Engelbrecht confirmed that Masabata Moobi, 21, told police that Mateane had been romantically linked to Matshidiso Selena Mosia, 38.

Arrest / death by police

A huge manhunt ended at 4am the next day.

Mateane was tracked down hours later and was shot dead by members of the Kagiso police.

Trial

An inquest docket into Mateane’s alleged murder spree was released to the public. The inquest docket had been locked inside a steel frame door at Kagiso Police Station.

West Rand police spokesperson Superintendent Milica Bezuidenhout said an inquest had concluded that no one would be prosecuted as the suspect, Mateane, had killed himself.

Bezuidenhout said: "It was a tragic incident and a very sad chapter in our history."

The inquest docket was completed in September 12, 2007 and indicated the following cause of death details for officers killed at Kagiso Police Station:

• Sokhela died as a result of a gunshot wound to the head.
• Masipa died of a gunshot wound to the chest.
• Monama died after a gunshot wound in the head and chest.
• Zondo sustained gunshot wounds in the pelvis.

Outcome

Mateane was killed during a shoot-out with the police and the killing spree resulted in 10 deaths.

Aftermath

City Press and other reporting described ongoing effects and remembrance among police at the station, and recovery among survivors.

Masabata Moobi, 21, was described as having survived and was recovering at Leratong hospital in Kagiso on the West Rand.

Abraham Mateane (44) was described as having been wounded during the killing spree. On Friday, City Press visited Abraham, who sustained a neck injury and was now paralysed. Abraham said: "Chippa was my best friend. You know, even today I keep asking myself why he shot those people. I really don’t know."

Bezuidenhout said: "Our hearts go out to all the victims and their families but there is little we can do at this stage apart from giving them all the necessary support."

Mosia’s friend, Masego Modise, said she had forgiven Mateane: "I don’t have much to say, life must go on. God has already forgiven him."

At Kagiso Police Station, some policemen remembered the day Mateane went on a rampage and felt unable to describe their feelings almost two years after the incident: "Words fail me. I can’t describe how I feel almost two years after the incident," said one senior policeman, who declined to be identified.

Other details

Mateane’s motive was linked by reporting to a failed relationship and jealousy, and some quotes and commentary were included in the reporting.

One of the reported motivations concerned jealousy and suspicion of affairs: Mosia’s best friend Nonhlanhla Makgate said Mateane suspected his girlfriend of having affairs with policemen and said: "Poppy ended the relationship last year, but he told me he would never leave Poppy," and: "He was very possessive and jealous." Makgate also said: "I was talking to her on Friday, asking her to take him back, I was scared he would kill her,"

Makgate said that until the break-up she never worried about her friend’s safety as Mateane was like a "big brother", always reliable.

A family member, Kgomotso Ditshetelo, said: "Poppy was up-and-coming. She was a very successful businesswoman who made enough money to buy herself a plot," and: "She started working (as a beautician and hairdresser) in Soweto and had her own salon." Ditshetelo described Mateane as a loner who did not mix.

At the police station, junior staff referred to Mateane as a "cool guy" who always offered advice.

After gunning down the senior police officers, Mateane fled to Sebokeng to find and shoot his brother, Abraham Mateane. He also used a police car but abandoned it on the way.

A pedestrian named Patrick Zolile Sole (44) was allegedly knocked down and killed during a subsequent police car chase.

The Star visiting the Tarlton plot reported that four women and a child were trapped inside the house at the time. A note left by Mateane read: "I am not to blame. I am important... I deserve to be loved by you. I deserve to be treated with respect. And I will still love you forever." The note was described as neatly typed up on a computer, printed out and decorated with a small picture of a panda bear.

Damage at the house was described:

• A wooden door lay in pieces.
• A glass sliding door had been smashed.
• Bullet holes were visible in the tiled floors.
• An empty gun holster lay nearby.

Lorato Mosia, her one-year-old grandchild Lebogang, and niece Dineo Moobi were described as lying in pools of blood.

Masabata’s call was described as: "Chippa has shot everyone in the house!" Masabata’s SOS to Amanda was described as being a desperate call for help.

John Amanda was described as being reached by Mosia’s phone. Amanda said: "Come and help, Chippa has slaughtered everyone like animals," and reported that Poppy Mosia had called him shortly after being shot by superintendent Chippa Mateane, who was her lover of many years.

Police spokesperson Senior-Superintendent Mary Martins-Engelbrecht confirmed information about romantic links and victims, while also stating she declined to expand on the statement content.

Calvin Koketso Seerane described Mateane as: "A very nice gentleman, a very nice chap". Seerane said: "You would not think he is capable of such a heinous crime."

Kagiso Police Station junior staff had described Mateane as second-in-charge at the detective unit.

West Rand police spokesperson Superintendent Milica Bezuidenhout said the inquest docket had concluded that no one would be prosecuted because Mateane had killed himself.