SAPS will phase out commando

2003-03-19 21:13

Cape town - The process of phasing out the commando system will be led by the South African Police Service, Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota said on Wednesday.

Replying to questions in the National Assembly, he said the police would determine when it was ready to take over the various functions of the commandos.

The defence force's withdrawal from these functions placed an obligation on government to strengthen the police, and many of the people in the commandos, especially the young and fit, would have opportunities in this regard.

However, they would have to be carefully screened and trained, he said.

Older members could also remain active by providing intelligence information to the police.

Government had nothing against the commandos but wanted to ensure that police functions remained in the hands of the police.

The defence force had to move away from civil duties and concentrate on military matters, Lekota said.

Sector policing

On March 5, Safety and Security minister Charles Nqakula said the police would extend its successful sector policing strategy from urban areas to rural areas as the commando system was phased out.

The defence force would gradually phase out its involvement in "ordinary police functions" over a six year period ending in March 2009, he said then.

It was hoped that by that time, the police service would be ready to take over with the necessary human and other resources in place.

These activities included rural safety, cross-border crime, and other safety and security-related border functions.

Many of the active commando members stood a very good chance of successful recruitment into the police reservists.

Police reservists formed an element of the sector policing strategy, and "we want them to be part and parcel" of this strategy, Nqakula said.

- SAPA