Special Operations.Com
Special Task Force
Historical Summary of Significant
Operations
Section Two
10 July 1994 Arrest of Weapon Smugglers
at Nduma
Weapons are regularly smuggled from Mozambique to
South Africa via the Kruger National Park which borders
on Mozambique.
The Organized Crime Unit and Firearm Tracing Unit
requested the Special Task Force to be of assistance
by way of observation duties of specified areas which
had been identified by informers as areas which the
smugglers readily use.
10 members of the Special Task Force were deployed
to the Nduma area in the Kruger National Park where
they established observation posts.
The operation was successful and three (3) Mozambicans
were traced and arrested. The members seized 30 AK47
rifles and three (3) SAM-7 ground-to-air missiles.
27 October 1994 - Hostage Situation and Attempted
Suicide at Telkom Offices, Pretoria
A man armed with a firearm and was upset about the
non-payment of his salary, entered the Telkom Distribution
offices where he worked and took a number of people
hostage.
The hostage negotiators and 21 members of the Special
Task Force were deployed to the scene. After prolonged
negotiations, all the hostages were released but the
man refused to surrender and threatened to take his
own life.
1 March 1995 - Hostage Situation Bella Vista,
Johannesburg
A man took his fiancee and her little daughter hostage
after a family dispute.
The hostage negotiators and six members of the Special
Task Force were deployed to the scene. During negotiations,
the man continually held a knife against the throat
of his fiancee and also sodomized her in the presence
of her daughter. The child was also ill-treated by
the man while his fiancee had to watch.
A tactical release of the hostages was the only way
out. One member of the Special Task Force was employed
as a sniper and during the tactical release of the
hostages, the man was fatally wounded. A firearm was
found in the room where the man had held the woman
and child hostage.
27 November 1995 - Kidnapping and Hostage Situation,
Vereeniging
The Intelligence Service and CID of Secunda and Vereeniging
requested the assistance of the Special Task Force
in an operation to locate the whereabouts of a man
who had been kidnapped and was being held hostage.
Information at hand was that the man had been kidnapped
by 3 men and was being held hostage in a Daleside,
Vereenigng house. 9 members of the Special Task Force
were made available for the operation and the kidnapped
man was released uninjured during a tactical release.
All three men were arrested without a single shot
being fired. 5 fire-arms which had been used by the
hostage takers were seized.
6 August 1995 Hostage Situation Hollywood
Café, Sunnyside
A man fleeing from the SAPS on 6 August 1995, took
a woman hostage in the Hollywood Café, Esselen Street,
Sunnyside.
The Special Task Force was summoned to the scene
by Radio Control after which the hostage taker was
arrested and the hostage tactically released.
The man was found guilty of armed robbery, kidnapping,
pointing of a firearm and possession of an unlicenced
firearm.
24 to 25 February 1995 Hostage Situation (1)
St Albans Prison - Port Elizabeth
On 24 February 1995, 22 members of the Special Task
Force were summoned to St Alban's Prison, Port Elizabeth
where approximately 105 prisoners had taken a prison
warder as hostage.
During the night of 24 - 25 February 1995, after
prolonged negotiations the prison warder was released
after a tactical release lasting 20 seconds.
One hostage taker was fatally wounded. One injured
and the other prisoners were arrested. The hostage
was released without injuries. Two firearms and a
M26 hand grenade were seized after the operation.
12 August 1996 Hostage Situation 34 Baccus Street,
Irene
On 12 August 1996 a man took a year old baby hostage
at 34 Baccus Street, Irene. The Special Task Force
deployed 21 members to the scene. During negotiations,
snipers were deployed in the vicinity.
The snipers observed that the man held the baby in
front of him with a knife to it's throat all the time.
The hostage taker only moved a curtain occasionally
to see what was going on outside, but never let go
of the baby.
Negotiations which had lasted a long time did not
succeed and it was decided on a tactical release of
the baby by members of the Special Task Force.
During the tactical release, both snipers fired simultaneously,
fatally wounding the hostage taker. The baby was safely
released without any injuries.
22 May 1997 Hostage Situation Nando's, Johannesburg
Three robbers trying to rob Nando's on the corner
of Cromhout and Kimberley Streets, Johannesburg were
cornered by members of the SAPS Johannesburg after
being alerted by members of the public. The robbers
took the employees of Nando's hostage. A gun-battle
between the robbers and the SAPS took place during
which two members of the SAPS were wounded.
19 members of the Special Task Force were deployed.
During the release of the hostages, the three robbers
were wounded and arrested. No members of the public
were injured.
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