Concern over firearm competency of Western Cape police members – AfriForum writes to provincial police commissioner

The civil rights organisation AfriForum is concerned over the competency of Western Cape police members in the handling of firearms. This follows after media reports that 4 556 police members could not complete the firearm competency test in the 2017/2018 financial year. AfriForum therefore wrote to Lt. Gen. Khombinkosi Jula, Western Cape Police Commissioner, requesting action to curb this figure.

The fact that these police members couldn’t complete the test can be attributed to various factors, including the fact that there is only one shooting range in the province for SAPS members. This range is also not completely on standard and there have been cases of a shortage in ammunition. This results in SAPS members having to perform their already difficult task without proper weapons knowledge. This number also increased considerably in comparison with the 2016/2017 financial year number, which was 3 101.

“Communities in the Western Cape cannot afford this number increasing any further. This is further proof that communities must, within the framework of the law, accept responsibility for their own safety,” says Johandré van Zyl, AfriForum’s Regional Safety Coordinator for the Western, Northern and Eastern Cape.

Join AfriForum’s safety structures today: SMS “Veilig” to 45265.