Special Operations.Com
Special Task Force
Historical Summary of Significant
Operations
Section One
25 January 1980 - The Siege of Volkskas
Bank, Silverton
Four terrorists, armed with AK47 assault weapons
and hand grenades, held the Volkskas Bank in Silverton,
Pretoria under siege. They threatened to kill the
hostages if all their demands were not met.
In the ensuing release operation, Special Task Force
members killed all the terrorists, while hostage casualties
were caused by hostile small-arms fire and a hand
grenade explosion.
25 - 30 January 1980 - Laingsburg
floor disaster.
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The
Special Task Force lead the search - and rescue
operations. 47 bodies were recovered in 5 days.
The Special Task Force also rendered disaster
relief assistance to the local population.
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13 December 1989 - Body recovery at Selby Mine
- Johannesburg
Two members of the Special Task Force assisted the
Brixton Murder and Robbery Unit in recovering a corpse
from the Selby mineshaft, Johannesburg.
The corpse was found at a depth of 141 meters. Obstructions,
bad construction and the threat of toxic gases created
additional hazards.
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Two
members of the Special Task Force were individually
lowered into the shaft, but were forced to return
to the surface owing to respiratory difficulties.
One member was given oxygen apparatus and lowered
down the shaft again. After securing the corpse
to a rope, he was hoisted to the surface.
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Both members were awarded the South African Police
Cross for Bravery for their unselfish deed.
11 January 1993 - Hostage situation
- Walmer, Port Elizabeth
A Black ex-defence force member took a woman hostage
and held her at gunpoint.
As negotiations failed, the Special Task Force entered
the building and incapacitated the captor with 2 shots.
The hostage was not hurt.
4 July 1993 - Hijacked Fokker FU28
at Jan Smuts International Airport
A Fokker FU28 airliner of Royal Swazi Airlines with
21 passengers on board was hijacked and diverted to
Jan Smuts Airport, near Johannesburg.
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The
SAPS Special Task Force was summoned to the scene
and 22 members were dispatched to the airport
to contain the situation and release the hostages.
After being informed by the psychologist on
the scene that the hijacker was emotionally
unstable and irrational and a threat to the
hostages, the Special Task Force was given the
command to recapture the aircraft and to release
the hostages.
The hijacker was wounded in the head during
the storming of the aircraft. A hostage was
wounded in the shoulder and the pilot in the
leg.
No casualties were sustained by members of
the Special Task Force.
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30 July 1988 - Hostage situation-
Goedemoed prison
Using sharpened objects, 22 prisoners attacked the
prison warders at Goedemoed Prison.
One of the warders failed to escape and was taken
hostage in a cell.
The hostage was stabbed twice in the neck while one
of the warders was trying to negotiated with the prisoners.
The SAPS Special Task Force was called in to assist
in the matter. Nine members of the Special Task Force
were flown to Goedemoed Prison.
The Special Task Force freed the hostage with the
assistance of the negotiator (warder) and the Reaction
Unit of Bloemfontein.
The two prisoners who held the warder hostage, were
wounded, one of them fatally.
14 September 1988 - The Bus Capture
at Lesotho
The Pope visited Maseru on the above date. Four members
of the Lesotho Freedom Alliance hijacked a bus transporting
74 passengers at the British Embassy.
The SAPS Special Task Force was called in to assist
in the matter.
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When
negotiations failed, the terrorists began shooting
at the bystanders in the British Consulate. They
then attempted to use the bus to ram through the
embassy gates.
The Special Task Force stormed the bus, killing
three terrorists and capturing one. They disarmed
an improvised booby trap (explosive device).
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17 hostages who were injured by hostile gunfire were
stabilized by Special Task Force medics.
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