Parliament, Sunday, 04 February 2019 –The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police, Mr Francois Beukman, said the killing of a member of the Special Task Force of the South African Police Service (SAPS ) and a member of a Crime Intelligence during a shootout with armed robbers on Friday night near Nongoma, KZN is a sad day for all law-abiding South Africans.  

“The Saps lost highly trained members who were at the forefront in the fight against violent crime. It is a big loss to our nation. Their deaths is a huge loss to Saps, the specialised units and their respective families. ” Mr Beukman said.

The committee extends its heartfelt condolences to the next-of kin and families of the fallen police members. They paid the highest price to ensure that ordinary South Africans do not become the victims of brazen criminality.

The cmmittee is of the firm view that more resources should be allocated to the specialised units who need to deal with highly trained and heavy-armed cash-in transit robbers and other high risk operations.

The resources should be used in the procurement of appropriate communication, technological and satellite cover, and air-support for the specialised units and crime-combatting units. The resources are necessary to enable the units to deal with the complex task that they face every day.

“The specialised units of the Saps face life-threatening and dangerous situations daily and all necessary steps should be taken from a budgetary, logistical and training perspective to support them appropriately,” Mr Beukman emphasised.

The cimmittee will support an increase in the budget for the sub-programme Specialised Interventions of Saps that was allocated 4. 3 billion rand in the current financial year.

The increase in unconventional crime incidents with heavily armed perpetrators requires a re-look at modus operandi and resource allocation.      

Mr Beukman also wished the the Saps member who was injured in the shootout a speedy recovery.   

ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON POLICE, MR FRANCOIS BEUKMAN

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