Giyani – A man has been arrested for allegedly killing a police officer during a shootout outside Giyani, Limpopo police said on Tuesday.

The man was part of an armed group that had robbed a local store of cash and groceries at around 3am on Tuesday morning.

"Police were notified [about the robbery] and reacted swiftly. On arrival, they found that the suspects had already left the scene and immediately made a follow up. A suspicious looking vehicle was then noticed along the road leading to Phalaborwa and when the police stopped it, a shootout ensued and in the process one of our members was fatally wounded," said spokesman Motlafela Mojapelo.

"The police shot and wounded the suspect who is currently under police guard in hospital. It is also believed that one or more suspects might have been wounded during the shooting. A manhunt has been launched for the possibly wounded suspects who abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot."

Police confiscated two firearms and three cellphones from the abandoned vehicle. The 26-year-old man was expected to appear in the Giyani Magistrate's Court soon to face charges of murder and armed robbery.