While not exactly at the haemorrhaging level, there is concern over the loss of specialist policing skills in units and teams including the Special Task Force and National Intervention Unit as well as SA Police Service (SAPS) tactical response and counter assault teams.
Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, in a reply to Eastern Cape Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) public representative Noluvuyo Tafeni, stated that, “the following specialised capabilities lost an average of 40 members, per financial year, during the last three years, due to resignation: Special Task Force, National Intervention Unit, Tactical Response Teams and the Counter Assault Team.”
This was offset by the fact that an “average of 13 members were appointed to these capabilities during the same period. These capabilities have, therefore, suffered a net loss of personnel during the last three financial years.”
The cost of this specialist police training, according to the reply, was R32.8 million over three years. Tafeni’s request for numbers of personnel who exited the Public Order Policing Unit (POPU) was withheld as it “may compromise the operational effectiveness of the SAPS”.
On what General Fannie Masemola’s SAPS is doing to, as Tafeni states “keep the troops more loyal”, she was told there are initiatives in place to instil and sustain professionalism among members,” a quality that includes a member’s sense of patriotism to the country and loyalty to the Service”.
The SAPS operates a scarce skills policy. It includes scarce skill allowances and a monthly service allocation for policemen and women deployed operationally. The Minister of Police approved an increase in the payment of the scarce skills allowance for qualifying Special Task Force operators, with effect from 1 May 2024, given the highly specialised nature of the skills that these members have.
In order to retain employees, the SAPS also has the option of making a higher salary offers to employees under certain conditions.
“With regard to the increasing of scarce skills allowances, the SAPS is required to remain within allocated budget for the compensation of employees, but does intend reviewing the allocations that are made to retain scarce skills, should the current fiscal pressures ease.”
