The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police, Ian Cameron, has raised serious concerns over the apparent neglect of the South African Police Service’s (SAPS) K9 Unit. According to him, this disregard significantly weakens the SAPS’s ability to combat various forms of crime affecting the country.
“On Friday, 31 January 2025, my colleagues and I conducted an unannounced visit to the Cape Town K9 Unit, and our findings should alarm all South Africans. The unit is on the brink of collapse, reflecting broader systemic failures in the country. SAPS management appears oblivious to the globally recognised role and effectiveness of K9 units in crime-fighting,” Cameron stated.
During the visit, the committee observed a leadership crisis, a lack of appreciation for the unit’s critical role, and what Cameron described as dereliction of duty. He found it unacceptable that the Cape Town K9 Unit has only two operational dogs. “In a city plagued by drug-related crime and gangsterism, with an international airport and harbour that could serve as drug entry points, it is unacceptable to have such inadequate resources to combat crime,” he added.
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