Police K9 unit gets welcome boost in Cape Town

The SAPS K9 unit in Cape Town has been reinforced with the donation of 16 dogs by Gift of the Givers.

The donation comes on the heels of an unannounced oversight visit by DA MPs on February 1 which highlighted an urgent need to equip police dog handlers in the city.

DA National Council of Provinces select committee on security and justice member Nicholas Gotsell welcomed the donation, saying during the oversight it emerged there were 75 trained K9 handlers in the province without dogs. More than 50% of the trained handlers in the Cape Town metropole, Franschhoek and Stellenbosch did not have dogs.

It also emerged that Cape Town's K9 unit only had 49 members instead of 98.  

In addition, some of the dogs were ageing or out of service.

“It has emerged that after the oversight visit, SAPS members have been encouraged to join the K9 unit — a move that is welcomed and which bodes well for the united efforts by the City of Cape Town metro police and the SAPS.  

“While the DA is elated that the Cape Town K9 unit has become 16 dogs stronger, it is determined to ensure through its oversight in the parliamentary budget cycle that units such as K9 are fully capacitated and prioritised over elite units which put the safety of politicians first,” said Gotsell.  

DA MP Ian Cameron said SAPS leadership had failed to supply the necessary narcotics, explosives and search and rescue dogs due to an outdated system that took months compared with buying pre-trained dogs that were operational in six weeks.  

“[In early January,] 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,” said Cameron. 

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