Dear Editor
The Democratic Alliance (DA) will write to the City of Cape Town to request an urgent health inspection of the SAPS Training Academy in Philippi and to the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure for immediate structural interventions. This comes after a Portfolio Committee on Police oversight visit revealed ongoing, deeply concerning conditions at the academy. Despite previous calls for urgent intervention, the situation has worsened, posing serious health anView Documentd safety risks for both trainees and staff.
The DA had previously raised concerns about the academy, yet SAPS appears to have made little progress in addressing them. It has now come to light that SAPS is still not conducting adequate psychometric testing for candidates, despite the DA’s call last year for improved mental health support after it was reported that over 300 SAPS officers have committed suicide since 2017. The lack of proper mental and psychological screening raises serious concerns about officers’ wellbeing and their ability to serve effectively.
SAPS’ own data also shows a decline in psychological support staff. Currently, there are only 137 psychological professionals employed, alongside fewer “Quality of Work Life” professionals, social workers, and chaplains. This reflects a worsening capacity to provide adequate mental health support to SAPS members.
The conditions at the Philippi Training Academy are dire. Trainees are forced to boil water in urns, as the geyser has been out of service since early this year, and ablution facilities have no hot water. Many rooms lack basic amenities such as lighting, with mold and peeling paint common. Trainees are living in rooms with leaking sewerage pipes and inadequate laundry facilities, while some rooms have severely damaged, mold-covered ceilings. The kitchen is in a deplorable state, with mold on the roof and a lack of cleaning staff. Freezers were only repaired the day before the oversight visit, forcing day-to-day food purchases, which are more costly than bulk orders.
It is evident that the academy is failing in terms of physical infrastructure, and these conditions are endangering the health of trainees. The Committee overseeing the academy has recommended several interventions, including the immediate suspension of members involved in serious allegations, a review of the academy’s infrastructure in collaboration with the Minister of Public Works, and the reintroduction of psychometric testing for SAPS recruits.
A professional SAPS, which starts from the ground-up with proper training, resourced academies, and fit-for-purpose recruits, has become desperate. The tragic mass shooting in Mamre on Wednesday night, where gunmen opened fire and killed six, exemplifies the scope of the current crisis. The DA condemns these acts of violence and calls on the SAPS to bring these thugs to justice without delay.
The DA will continue to monitor the situation closely and push for appropriate action. The Committee is expected to return in November 2024 to assess the progress made, and we will hold SAPS and the Ministry accountable to ensure that trainees and staff are no longer subjected to these hazardous conditions. The time for action is now—there can be no further delays in addressing these critical issues at the Philippi Training Academy.
Regards
Lisa Schickerling MP
DA Deputy Spokesperson on Police
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Oscar Pistorius. Not the first South African with a race problem.
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Yebo – yes [yeh-boh] Often expressed as a double positive by combining it with the English “yes” in “Yebo, Yes!” or as an extremely expressive “Yeeebo!” This Zulu word is used regularly in South Africa to show agreement or approval with something or someone.