Overview & History

The need for the South African Police to establish a Unit capable of handling High-Risk Operations was identified in the early 1970s.

Due to other SAP commitments and the difficulty to convince the powers in charge, the Unit could only be formed on February 1, 1976.

Since its inception, selection courses have been the sole source of Operational Manpower.

The applicants must be permanent members of the South African Police; they must be at minimum twenty-one (21) years of age; must have served at least two (2) years in the Police and must be physically fit and mentally stable to endure the rigorous and demanding training. Applicants must furthermore demonstrate maturity; have sound judgment and display leadership qualities. Training is conducted approximately 230 kilometres from Pretoria at the Task Force Training Centre, and, on average, less than three (3) percent of applicants pass selection. The percentage varies from selection to selection and percentages have range from a one (1) percent pass rate to and eight (8) percent pass rate.

The Special Task Force has participated in numerous operations including the tracing and elimination of terrorists, terrorist bases, and arms caches; the rescuing of hostages out of planes, vehicles, buildings, busses, and prisons; underwater searches for bodies and exhibits; protection of VIPs; provision of specialized training to other Units and various rescue operations and many more.

Those practices successfully adopted by special Units abroad have been adapted to our prevailing circumstances. The techniques employed by the Unit were however for the most part developed and perfected locally.

In 1993, the South African Police’s Efficiency Department approved the restructuring of the Unit and based on operational needs, two (2) further components were established in Durban and Cape Town. Similar foreign Units have been visited by local members on several occasions to ensure the alignment of structures and procedures to international trends and to keep abreast of changes in training and various other specialized fields.

Members of the Special Task Force play a pivotal role in the combating of serious crime, and this places heavy demands on each of these individuals. To become a member of this Unit, perseverance and dedication are two (2) of the main characteristics that will need to be espoused.

Mission

‘The Special Task Force of the South African Police provides a specialized and impartial service to the community by handling High-Risk Operations that fall beyond the scope of classic policing in a professional and responsible manner.’

The mission statement – which fundamentally embraces the constitutional framework - is in line with the purpose of the South African Police and embodies the philosophy and policing policy of the Minister for Safety and Security.

Functions

Primary

The functions of the Unit are primary to:

• Manage High-Risk situations for which the general South African Police is not equipped or trained.

• Control hostage situations on land, sea, and air -
  Land encompasses buses, trains, and buildings such as national key points and embassies.
  Sea refers to oil platforms, ships in harbors, and own territorial waters; and
  Air relates to all civilian local and international aircraft.

• Deal with urban and rural terror.

• Provide assistance to the remaining divisions of the South African Police requiring the Unit’s specialized skills, techniques, and equipment as relates to, for example, murder, robbery, motor vehicle theft, or SANAB.

• Furnish assistance to Units responsible for the protection of High-Profile VIPs and periodically undertake unassisted protection of prestigious VIPs where the skills required fall beyond the capabilities of available Units – for example, counter-sniper measures or sniper allocation.

• Provide a specialized rescue service and assist in natural disasters should skills in mountaineering, emergency diving, or other expertise in rescue be required.

• Render specialized operational, tactical, and continuation training to all members of the Special Task Force to facilitate the performance of the Unit’s primary and secondary functions.

• Undertake a specialized policing service to neighboring countries' police in accordance with agreements reached between these countries and the South African government.

Secondary

The secondary roles of the Unit are to:

• Consult on and provide specialized training to the remaining South African Police divisions, military special forces, and approved organizations.

• Evaluate specialized equipment.

• Execute any other duties falling within the scope of High-Risk Operations assigned by the Minister for Safety and Security and the National Commissioner of the South African Police or the Divisional Commissioner, of Crime Prevention and Response Services.

The Task Force falls under the operational control of the Division for Operational Response Services and is responsible for handling all High-Risk Operations – for example, hostage situations on land, sea, and air and rescue-related activities.

Selection

Task Force applicants are considered exclusively on a voluntary basis and must conform to stringent physical requirements prior to admittance into the twenty-six (26) week-long basic training and selection course which includes instruction on weapons, rural and urban combat, and basic parachuting.

Compulsory advanced courses include training on specialized skills relating to diving, VIP protection, explosives and medical training. Although the total initial training period is nine (9) months, completing all required advanced courses to achieve the status of a fully-fledged Special Task Force operational member may take up to three (3) years.

Operational Fitness Standard

To remain operational, the Special Task Force Fitness Standard requires that Operators maintain a minimum of seventy (70) percent for the following:

Physical fitness and strength

• Five (5) kilometers run within twenty-one (21) minutes.

• Fifteen (15) uninterrupted, consecutive pull-ups (palms forward).

• Ninety-five (95) sit-ups in two (2) minutes.

• Fifty (50) uninterrupted, consecutive push-ups in one (1) minute; and

• Ten (10) twenty-five (25) meter sprints in fifty-six (56) seconds.

Swimming

• 300-meter swim in less than ten (10) minutes.

Endurance

• Twenty (20) kilometer walk carrying twenty (20) kilograms – 3 ½ hours.

Organization

History

On 28 April 1974, a hostage drama unfolded at the Israeli embassy which later became known as The Fox Street Siege. The trigger for this saga continues to remain a mystery and, even now, it cannot be confirmed whether or not either the South African Police or the South African Defense Force assisted. The Fox Street Siege revealed the South African Police inability to effectively manage High-Risk situations and a public outcry calling for the establishment of a hostage rescue tactics capability ensued. The wheels had been set into motion for the official creation of a South African Police Special Forces Unit.

Lt Gen. Mike Geldenhuys - the Head of the South African Police Security Branch - officially authorized the creation of The Special Task Force as one of its subdivisions on 1 February 1976.