A member of the Special Task Force lost his thumb
when a stun grenade exploded in his hand.
12 February 1998 Rescue Operation City Centre,
Durban
A fire started on the 28th floor of the
Commercial City building in central Durban. Members
of the Special Task Force, Durban were lowered by
Air Force helicopter onto the roof of the building.
Several people trapped by flames outside the 12th
floor were rescued. It was dangerous for members due
to the risk of the ropes burning.
May 1996 Arrest of Subject
Members of the Special Task Force, Durban were summoned
to the Port Shepstone beachfront where they came across
a man who was firing at any person who dared to move.
The situation was brought under control after a Special
Task Force sniper shot the pistol out the suspect's
hand from a distance of 35 meters.
Operation Rachel I to V Tracing and Destroying
Weapon Caches in Mozambique
Five (5) dangerous cross-border operations involving
members of the South African Police Service and Mozambican
Police have already taken place in respect of the
tracing and destroying of weapon caches in Mozambique.
The following weapons and explosive ordnance have
thus far been recovered and destroyed:
8 September 1995 - Tracing of Suspects, Siyabuswa
Information was gathered by the Pretoria Murder and
Robbery Unit about a planned armed robbery of a factory
in Siyabuswa on 8 September 1995. It was a Friday
which was also payday with a large amount of wages
at the factory.
The information gathered was very vague as the identity
of the suspects was not available, the type of transport
to be used and the manner in which the robbery would
take place. The Special Task Force deployed 9 members
to the scene to assist with protection of the factory
and arrest of suspects, if needed. The robbers entered
the premises and tried to holdup the cashier. The
Special Task Force members reacted and a gun-battle
ensued. Two robbers were fatally wounded, one wounded
and one arrested. One vehicle and firearms were seized
on the scene.
10 to 12 February 1997 - Hostage Situation St
Albans Prison, Port Elizabeth
Five civilians were taken hostage by about 52 prisoners
at the St Albans Prison, Port Elizabeth. The hostages
were held in the maximum security section of the prison.
During the night of 11 February 1997, 38 members
of the Special Task Force entered the prison after
prolonged negotiations were unsuccessful and released
the hostages. Entry to the security section was gained
by using explosives to remove the cell door. The time
lapse to release the hostages was only 30 seconds.
During the tactical release of the hostages one hostage
was killed and one wounded. The other prisoners were
arrested and handed over to the prison authorities.
6 April 1997 - Hostage Situation, Utrecht Prison
- 1996
The commander and two officers from the Utrecht Prison
were released by members of the Special Task Force,
Durban. 66 prisoners were arrested and four firearms
which were illegally in the possession of prison warders
were seized.
6 April 1997 - Hostage Situation West Street,
Durban
A father took his family hostage in a parked vehicle
in West Street, Durban. During negotiations the Special
Task Force used a stun grenade to break the cars window
and releasing the hostages. There were no shots fired
or any injuries.
A pistol was confiscated from the man before he could
use it. This incident received world wide coverage.
August 1995 John Ross House, Esplanade, Durban
Members of the Durban Child Protection Unit had a
warrant to remove a baby from her mother's care. The
mother decided that nobody would get her baby and
decided to hang the baby outside the window of her
10th floor flat. Members of the Special
Task Force entered the flat and grabbed the baby from
the mother. The mother was charged for attempted murder
and child abuse.
5 January 1999 Arrest of Serial Rapist/Murderer
Capital Park, Pretoria
Since October 1998 a number of rapes and murders
and occurred in the Capital Park suburb of Pretoria.
The specific area is mountainous and very little activity
occurs in the area making it ideal for a person to
hide or conceal something.
Over a period of 3 months, 7 corpses had been found
in the area, which suggested that a serial rapist
and murderer was active in the area.
The assistance of the Special Task Force was requested
and observation posts were to be established to gather
information which might lead to the arrest of the
suspect(s). 11 members of the Special Task Force were
deployed to the area. On the first night, a suspect
was spotted and arrested. The suspected man has been
positively linked to the rapes and murders by means
of DNA tests.
26 January 1999 - Hostage Situation Venda
University, Thohoyandou
