Next batch of Amapanyaza report at army base for training

The 3 South African infantry battalion in Kimberley has received 400 Gauteng trainee crime prevention wardens for eight weeks of training.

The Northern Cape unit, along with the Infantry School in Oudtshoorn, are acknowledged as the premier training units for the Army Infantry Formation. In addition to basic military training for the landward force, the Kimberley unit previously trained police officers during the Bheki Cele ministerial period when adding to boots on the ground was deemed imperative and SA Police Service training facilities could not handle the volumes of newcomers.

The wardens, referred to as Amapanyaza after premier Panyaza Lesufi, have been conferred with the same peace officer powers as Gauteng traffic police. 

Training in Gauteng, Northern Cape and probably also North West (4 artillery regiment) and Kimberley-based 10 anti-aircraft regiment, will see the fledgling law enforcement officers go through a revised basic military training programme.

This will take in firearm use, radio procedure, crowd control and first aid, as well as search and rescue.

The Dunnottar-based 1 Construction Regiment also hosted the 400 fledgling wardens for training earlier this month.

This was the third batch of the year to report for training as agreed upon between the Gauteng community safety department and the SANDF.

DefenceWeb