Portfolio Committee on Police chairperson Ian Cameron visited the K9 Unit in Cape Town. Picture: Supplied
The Portfolio Committee on Police chairperson Ian Cameron conducted an unannounced visit to the K9 Unit in Cape Town.
He was with Nicholas Gotsell and Lisa Schickerling on Friday when he found disturbing facts about the facility.
“Just weeks ago, Abby, a Belgian Malinois from the SAPS K9 Unit, became a national hero when she was awarded the Police Silver Cross for her life-saving work in George.
“Abby’s success highlights what K9 Units are capable of — tracking criminals, detecting explosives, uncovering narcotics, and rescuing the vulnerable. But Friday’s oversight visit revealed a stark reality: K9 Units across South Africa are collapsing due to gross neglect from SAPS leadership.
“At the Cape Town K9 Unit, the situation is shocking — not because the members are failing, but because they’ve been abandoned by management. In Cape Town, one of South Africa’s most notorious drug hotspots, there are only two operational narcotics dogs. Indeed, there are only two dogs in a city that is overrun by drug-fuelled gang violence.
He added that Cape Town’s K9 crisis reflects a national failure.
“Handlers across the country are trained and ready but lack dogs. Without these critical tools, they are being set up to fail. National commander/s, tasked with overseeing the K9 programme, are either incompetent or, I have to say this, complicit in its decline.
“The severe shortage of dogs and handlers, the numbers tell the story: More than 50% of handlers in Cape Town do not have dogs. Provincially (Western Cape), 75 trained handlers are without dogs.
“Adding to the crisis, many of the existing dogs are aging or out of service, with some over 10 years old. Meanwhile, SAPS leadership has failed to supply the necessary narcotics, explosives, and search and rescue dogs. Why is SAPS not purchasing pre-trained dogs?”
Cameron said the private security firms buy pre-trained dogs, which are operational within six weeks but SAPS relies on an outdated system that takes far too many months or more.
“This practical solution is being ignored, further delaying K9 readiness. Why? Is it due to incompetence or something more serious? A broken breeding and training programme.
“The breeding and training programme in Roodeplaat is inefficient and outdated. It should be decentralised and placed under proper oversight. A skills audit of the senior management responsible is critical to addressing these issues.”
He said immediate actions needed are to decentralise breeding and training to reduce delays. Purchase pre-trained dogs to quickly address shortages. Conduct a skills audit of national commanders to replace ineffective leaders and upgrade facilities where handlers and dogs operate.
Cameron referred to the issue of two narcotics dogs for Cape Town as a disgrace and a national scandal.
“Without urgent action, public safety will further deteriorate. SAPS leadership must fix this or step aside. South Africa deserves a well-supported K9 Unit capable of protecting its communities.”
mandilakhe.tshwete@inl.co.za