Police reservists not a spent force
Residents who are capable and fit to volunteer their time to assist the police in fighting crime are encouraged to visit their local police stations to apply to sign up as police reservists.
According to the Boksburg SAPS’s Lieut Col Khumbulani Ndaba, the police still make use of reservists, despite the rumour that the government intended to get rid of them.
This is after scores of reservists took to the streets, demanding permanent employment, years ago.
However, according to Ndaba, the reserve force is not a spent body.
“There was a moratorium on the recruitment of reservists in 2009, when the reservist system was being reviewed,” said Ndaba.
“The review had since been finalised, and the reservist policy framework was approved by the then Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa, and the moratorium was a few months later lifted.”
Those who are interested in volunteering their time to assist the police are welcome to do so at the Boksburg SAPS.
“We constantly encourage people who live in the communities we serve to assume the role of supporting the police and to get actively involved, because they have a better understanding of their communities than anyone else,” said Ndaba.
He has, however, reminded would-be police reservists that the reservist system was never introduced as a stepping stone to securing permanent employment as a police officer.
Instead, it was aimed at allowing citizens to volunteer their time to assist the police in fighting crime.
According to Ndaba, many police reservists sign up because they believe they will eventually get a permanent job down the line.
Clearing up this common misconception, he said: “When reservists sign up, they sign agreements which clearly state that they are volunteering their services to the police and that there are no expectations of employment or remuneration for their services.”
Ndaba said being a reservist entails undergoing intensive training, which enables the reservist to perform his or her duties, which are similar to those of a permanently employed police officer.
Reservists deal with a range of duties that the police stations have to deal with on a day-to-day basis, including the taking of statements in the community service centre, helping with secretarial duties and working out on the streets.
Ndaba said the Boksburg SAPS used to have a handful of reservists, but most of them were eventually recruited and are currently being trained in the police colleges.
To comply with the basic enlistment requirements to become a police reservist, the applicant must:
* be a South African citizen by birth;
* be medically, mentally and physically fit to perform duties;
* be of good and sound character;
* be in possession of at least a senior certificate (Grade 12) or must have successfully completed a SAQA accredited NQF level four qualification, of which documentary proof must be provided;
* be able to speak, read and write at least two official languages, of which one must be English;
* allow your fingerprints and a DNA sample to be taken;
* be prepared to undergo the required training;
* be vetted or screened;
* be employed and provide proof of employment;
* provide traceable proof of residential address;
* not have a criminal record or any criminal or departmental cases pending against him or her (all criminal or departmental cases must be declared).
To find out more about enlistment as a police reservist, residents can phone Capt Bafana Mazibuko on 011 841 6829.
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