SAPS Rustenburg Explosives Unit Oversight Reveals Serious Safety Concerns

Statement by Freddy Sonakile MPL – DA Provincial Leader, North West:

A Democratic Alliance (DA) oversight inspection at the SAPS Rustenburg Explosives Unit in the North West province, has revealed serious operational, infrastructure, security, and resource deficiencies.

The DA’s oversight inspection found:

• Repeated break-ins at the premises;
• Absence of access control systems;
• Inadequate CCTV surveillance;
• Inadequate alarm systems;
• Inadequate perimeter and infrastructure security;
• Critical vacancies that remain unfilled;
• Inadequate operational vehicles;
• Insufficient office equipment and administrative resources; and
• Deteriorating storage areas, including vandalised external structures containing old records and files.

This is a key SAPS facility undertaking specialised policing functions like explosives regulation, investigations, and carries enormous public safety responsibility

The Unit currently operates from a leased residential-type property.

The DA is deeply concerned that such a high-stakes SAPS facility can be the victim of multiple break-ins. It cannot be that a police explosives unit office is frequently broken into.

The DA found hard-working officials manning this SAPS facility under difficult conditions – and they are themselves the victims of systemic failures in infrastructure planning, resourcing, and management support which the DA is exposing across the SAPS and across South Africa.

The DA has written to the Acting North West Provincial SAPS Commissioner, Major General (Dr) Ryno Naidoo regarding these findings and the DA demands:

• An urgent security and infrastructure assessment of this Explosives Facility,
• A review of the suitability of the current premises;
• Immediate strengthening of security measures;
• Intervention regarding staffing and operational resources; and
• A report on measures being taken to address these risks.

Public confidence in specialised policing units, like Explosives Units, depends on them not being neglected to the point of collapse.

To catch and convict criminals, the SAPS much clean up NOW!