Training

Candidates for the South African Police Special Task Force volunteer for training and can withdraw at any time. To qualify, applicants must have completed six months of basic police training and served for at least two years.

Only non-commissioned officers aged 21 to 30 are eligible. Before being accepted, candidates must pass a pre-selection process and provide a letter of recommendation from their course officer. The preparation and conditioning phase (PREPCON) has a high dropout rate, with approximately 50% of candidates being turned away.

For instance, in 2005, out of 453 applicants, only 108 advanced past pre-selection, with failures often due to insufficient fitness or swimming skills. Of those, 42 completed PREPCON, and just 20 passed the final ‘vasbyt’ phase.

The provincial pre-selection process involves:

• Submission of a medical form provided by the Special Task Force.

• A psychological assessment, including cognitive and personality evaluations.

Other Optional or Specialized Courses for Special Task Force Operators

The following additional courses are offered:

• Sniper course.

• Advance medical ordinance (level 6).

• Advanced tracking.

• Skipper’s course.

• High-speed driving.

• 4x4 driving; and

• Operational commanders’ training.

Special Task Force Training Program Overview

1. Assessment Phases

Physical Fitness and Strength Candidates must complete the following activities to demonstrate their fitness and strength:

• 3.2 km run in boots, long trousers, and carrying a rifle within 18 minutes.

• 5 consecutive pull-ups (palms forward).

• 60 sit-ups in 2 minutes.

• 35 push-ups in 1 minute.

• 10 x 25-meter sprints in 65 seconds.

Swimming Competence

• A 200-meter unassisted swim in dark water using any stroke.

Endurance Test

• A 15 km walk carrying 15 kg within 3 hours.

Note: The level of fitness demonstrated by actual Special Task Force operators is however far higher than required to pass these preliminary tests.

2. PREPCON Phase (3 weeks)

This three-week conditioning phase is hosted outside Pretoria. The focus is on preparing candidates for the extremely rigorous 'vasbyt' – literally meaning to grit one’s teeth in Afrikaans phase. PREPCON focuses on conditioning and those candidates not possessing the necessary fitness will fail this level which physically and mentally readies candidates for the skills required at later stages and establishes basic competencies in those areas that may prove to be quite difficult to master during the various modules presented within the full course.

Goals of PREPCON

• Prepare candidates for rigorous future training.

• Develop competencies in essential skills.

• Build resilience to physical and mental hardships, including sleep and comfort deprivation.

Applicants will proceed to a Special Task Force Selection Training Course which involves psychological and aptitude testing; a six (6) month-long basic training course and approximately two (2) years of additional specialized training.

The most grueling stage of the entire training course is probably without question the notorious ‘vasbyt’ phase and for some the not much spoken about ‘survival phase’. In both phases, you’ll need copious amounts of grit to successfully complete them.

Jonah Lehrer discussed the psychology of grit in his blog, The Frontal Cortex, and in the Boston Globe. He described it as follows: ‘... Instead, it’s about setting a specific long-term goal and doing whatever it takes until the goal has been reached. It’s always much easier to give up, but people with grit can keep going.’ ‘Grit, it turns out, is an essential (and often overlooked) component of success.’ ‘Consider, for instance, a recent study led by Duckworth that measured the grittiness of cadets at West Point, the elite military academy. Duckworth has since repeated the survey with subsequent West Point classes, and the result is always the same: the cadets that remain are those with grit ...’

3. Selection and 'Vasbyt'

Purpose of Selection and 'Vasbyt'

• Confirm candidates’ physical and mental capability for further training.

• Ensure candidates can comprehend complex material under pressure.

• Push candidates beyond perceived limits.

• Foster unity and teamwork across diverse backgrounds.

At this point, the selection and ‘vasbyt’ training course phase begins which will continue for the next twenty-eight (28) weeks, excluding breaks.

At the discretion of the course officer, ‘vasbyt’ will generally commence within the first three (3) weeks of the Special Task Force Selection Training Course. By this stage, the less resilient candidates would have abandoned their efforts due to the grueling pace. The remaining few, who have experienced hardship and mental degradation, are likely to be in peak physical condition. The commencement of this phase is generally a blur but, by day two (2), it becomes clear that the only logical course of action for the would-be operators is to hold tight. This training phase serves to increase the pace just enough to protect those candidates demonstrating the most potential from injury while siphoning out the less desirable or mentally and physically weaker candidates.

Although many group exercises are performed, candidates are tested as individuals and require self-motivation with no encouragement from instructors. To increase the difficulty, the potential operators are not provided with distance and timing indicators with the result that maximum output is constantly required to reach objectives.

Details of 'Vasbyt'

• Duration: Approximately 90 hours. (During this time, members are constantly gauged by the course officer, instructors, and medical consultants with the aim of monitoring and testing the limits of their mental and physical stamina and endurance for as long as possible before a complete system shutdown is experienced.)

• No sleep or food; limited to 2-5 liters of water per day.

• Constant physical tasks to prevent sleep and test endurance.

• Psychological evaluation and taunting to intensify the experience.

• The vast majority of candidates will leave the course within the two (2) weeks leading up to ‘vasbyt’ or during ‘vasbyt’ itself.

A scientific approach and constant psychological evaluation ensure the attainment of the pinnacle of physical and mental endurance by the end of this session. Once the required ninety (90) hours have elapsed, the candidates do not believe that the course has been completed and view the confirmation of such by the instructors as just another cruel joke. Generally, candidates will quite suddenly be overcome by exhaustion and relief.

Outcome After a well-earned two (2) days’ rest, official training begins. From this point on, candidates are evaluated based on competency, skills and the ability to function as a team member. Instructors interact personally with all candidates and individual performance and capabilities are discussed and evaluated in the finest detail. The basic training of the Special Task Force is divided into various categories as described below.

4. Basic Training Modules

Weapons Training (6 Weeks)

Members are trained for proficiency in the following categories:

• The use of assault rifles;

• The use of shotguns;

• The use of submachine guns;

• The use of pistols;

• Fitness and strength; and

• Unarmed combat.

Basic Rural Operations (6 Weeks)

Members are trained in the following aspects:

• The use of support weapons;

• Reconnaissance;

• The use of grenade launchers;

• The use of foreign weapons;

• The use of minor explosive devices;

• Pyrotechnics;

• Bush craft;

• Battle craft;

• Navigation;

• Heavy vehicle operations;

• Follow-up operations; and

• Helicopter orientation.

Urban Operations (7 Weeks)

Members are trained for proficiency in the following categories:

• Urban reconnaissance;

• Securing dangerous suspects (high-risk warrants);

• Securing dangerous barricaded suspects;

• Other high-risk urban operations;

• Urban helicopter orientation; and

• Planning, command and control of urban operations.

Hostage Release (5 Weeks)

Members are trained for proficiency in the following categories:

• Advanced individual/team movement;

• FIBUA ;

• Hostage assault planning, command and control; and

• Tactical assaults on -
  o Aircraft
  o Trains
  o Vehicles
  o Marine Vessels.

Parachuting (4 Weeks)

Members are trained to deploy by:

• Basic static line;

• Static line with equipment;

• Static line night parachuting;

• Free-fall;

• Free-fall at night or water jumps; and

• Free-fall with equipment.

Survival Training (2 Weeks)

Members are trained on:

• Static and mobile survival in the bush;

• Basic tracking;

• Escape and evasion;

• Resistance to interrogation; and

• Unsupported route march through the Kalahari Desert.

Completion and Certification

Upon successful completion of the course, members are issued with ‘wings’ to demonstrate that candidates are free-fall parachute qualified and full-fledged members of the Unit. A further two (2) years service is required.

5. Advanced Training Cycle (2 Years)

This phase requires two (2) additional years whilst working operationally within one of the Special Task Force Units. The training cycle includes:

• Rescue operations (mountaineering and other rescue techniques);

• Chemical and biological defense;

• Explosive identification, breaching, and bomb disposal;

• Improvised explosive devices and weapons;

• Operations medical level 3;

• Advanced VIP protection;

• Emergency scuba diving;

• Advanced rural tactics and survival; and

• Counter-insurgency (bush warfare).

Once a member has completed all the compulsory post-selection training courses and has served in a combat section for a period of two (2) years, operator status will be achieved and confirmed by the receipt of the operator’s badge at a parade usually presented by the Chief of the South African Police.

Members of the Special Task Force must continually undertake refresher training to ensure the maintenance of the highest standards of fitness and expertise. Members must be prepared to depart to any destination within the country at short notice. In addition, as operators’ family members are not given information on the destination, nature, or duration of an operation, they too remain in a constant state of tension and uncertainty.