3 to 4 August 1997 Hostage Situation, Bloemfontein
A man who had been fleeing from the Police after
a robbery went awry entered a block of flats to hide.
The police followed the fugitive into the flats where
the man had taken a woman hostage to negotiate his
release.
6 members of the Special Task Force were summoned
to the scene. After prolonged negotiations, it was
decided upon a tactical release of the woman.
The situation started on 3 August 1997 and the woman
was only tactical released by the Special Task Force
on 4 August 1997. During the tactical release of the
woman, the hostage taker was fatally wounded by a
sniper.
7 March 1998 Hostage Situation, Pretoria
On 7 March 1998 a man armed with a .357 revolver
took two children hostage and on several occasions
threatened to shoot the children if his demands were
not met.
11 August 1998 Arrest of Transit Robbers, Midrand
The Republic of South Africa has been characterized
by an increase in transit robberies. The robbers strike
with military precision and time and again have got
away with large quantities of money. During these
robberies, the robbers do not hesitate to make use
of firearms and on several occasions innocent members
of the public have lost their lives.
Information was gathered by the Special Investigation
Unit about another such robbery about to take place
and the Special Task Force was called in to assist
with the guarding of the money and possible arrest
of the suspects.
27 members of the Special Task Force were deployed
to be of assistance during the operation. The information
gathered was spot on and 5 robbers were fatally wounded,
5 wounded and 2 arrested. 5 vehicles, 3 AK47 rifles
and 3 firearms were recovered at the scene.
26 November 1998 Farm Attacks, Hammanskraal
Attacks on farms in the RSA have assumed enormous
proportions. The CID of a local police station at
Hammanskraal maintained that they had gathered information
about a planned attack on a farm in their area.
Members of the Special Task Force had on several
occasions followed up the information, but were not
successful.
On 26 November 1998 the SAPS Hammanskraal again approached
the Special Task Force with new information. 10 members
of the Special Task Force were deployed to the scene
where the members protected the farmer and his family
in two separate dwellings. The attackers struck the
farms as stated by the information and when the members
of the Special Task Force attempted to arrest them,
a gun-battle ensued. 4 attackers were fatally wounded,
1 wounded and arrested. 4 firearms and a knife were
recovered on the scene.
No farm inhabitants were injured.
16 May 1995 Arrest of Dangerous Criminal, Citrusdal
On 12 May 1995 8 members of the Special Task Force,
Cape Town were summoned to Citrusdal to trace and
arrest a dangerous fugitive in the Citrusdal area.
On 16 May 1995 the suspect was traced to a storm
water drain in the Citrusdal area. A gun-battle between
the fugitive and a member of the Special Task Force
ensued. The fugitive was wounded in both hands and
the member of the Special Task Force in his upper
arm.
The fugitive was arrested and was found guilty on
several charges of murder, attempted, murder and robbery.
NEXT
