Cape Town - Divisions within the SAPS have been laid bare in a report compiled by Solidarity, in which it claims that the Flying Squad cannot operate at full capacity because its members have been absorbed into other units.
It also says they are also driving cars with over 500000km on the clock.
The report was compiled by Solidarity’s Ronel Stander after meeting with members of the specialised unit and other disgruntled police officers.
The report has been forwarded to the SAPS as well as Premier Alan Winde.
“Solidarity acts on behalf of a number of our members stationed at the Flying Squad and we state that the unit is not operating at full capacity, because 52 of its members have been absorbed into other units.
"Thirty-two are deployed at the Provincial Reaction Team while 20 were called up by the Major Offences Reaction Team (Mort).
“The members of Mort work from Thursday to Sunday from 4pm to 2am. From Monday to Wednesday they are on rest days. This means the other stations in the province, where there is serious crime at any given time, don’t have sufficient members on duty.
"With the shortage of staff and the condition of the vehicles at the Flying Squad, it operates on a skeleton staff.”
Mort is headed by Brigadier Zingisa Manci, the wife of acting provincial commissioner Mpumelelo Manci, and runs parallel to the Anti-Gang Unit (AGU).
Stander said this was putting the already under-resourced police stations under severe pressure.
“The K9 Unit commander was instructed to give six of his members to Mort without their police dogs, but he has submitted reasons why he will not be able to do so."
Police spokesperson Noloyiso Rwexana said they would come back with comment once they had a response from the relevant office.
@TheCapeArgus