Police trainees reportedly face ‘horrendous’ conditions at Kimberley base

Civil society group Action Society says it has received many complaints from police trainees about the conditions they are forced to endure at a military base in Kimberley.

The trainees have been recruited by the South African Police Service (Saps).

Action Society said it is believed that no real training has started and hundreds of parents are scared of reporting this issue out of fear of their children being victimised.

It said it has been made aware of “horrendous” conditions that more than 2,000 new police recruits are subjected to.

Action Society on ‘horrendous’ conditions

From the reports received by the party, it is understood the new recruits have not had food for more than three days.

“There is no adequate sleeping space and many recruits don’t have beds and are forced to share mattresses or sleep on the floor or tables,” said Action Society spokesperson Ian Cameron.

Cameron said Action Society has written a letter to the divisional commissioner General Dineo Ntshiea as well as the newly appointed Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola. The letter requests that they take immediate action to resolve the situation. 

“Reports … also confirmed the inhumane conditions that these recruits have been subjected to, including no hot water, enduring a week of suspected food poisoning, no adequate medical attention and being threatened at gunpoint by a junior official,” Cameron added.

ALSO READ: Here are Gauteng’s police stations with the most criminally-accused officers