The committee, chaired by Freddy Sonakile, inspected it during the legislature’s oversight week in the Bojanala district municipality. The highly specialised unit, which is responsible for bomb disposal, bomb threats, explosives control, mine inspections and other explosives-related incidents, serves 16 police stations. 

It stretches from Marikana to Makapanstad with only four police officers and one cleaner. The committee found the unit’s operational capacity has been severely affected by a shortage of functional vehicles.

Vehicles

Of the three vehicles allocated to the unit, one is reportedly standing without tyres, another is under repair, and the third has been at a police garage for about six months. 

The unit has therefore been forced to borrow a vehicle from the Rustenburg explosives unit to carry out its duties.

The police explosive unit in Brits. Photo: Facebook 

North West legislature spokesperson Namhla Luhabe said the security conditions under which the unit operates were equally troubling.

“The facility is housed in leased premises shared with other tenants and situated adjacent to a busy restaurant. The premises have no CCTV cameras, no alarm system, no dedicated security personnel and no signage identifying the building as an explosives unit, raising serious concerns about the protection of specialised personnel and equipment.”

Across the province

The committee discovered similar shortcomings exist at the Rustenburg explosives unit, raising concerns the problems may be widespread across the province rather than isolated to Brits. 

Sonakile described the situation as unacceptable and warned officers dealing with dangerous explosives-related incidents cannot be expected to operate under such conditions.

Members of the North West provincial legislature inspected the police explosive unit in Brits. Photo: Facebook 

“These are specialised units entrusted with dealing with some of the most dangerous and sensitive policing operations. We cannot expect officers to protect communities from explosive threats while they themselves operate without adequate resources, proper security and suitable facilities. 

“What we have found in Brits, together with similar conditions in Rustenburg, points to a pattern that requires urgent national intervention,” said Sonakile.

He said the committee had resolved to formally write to acting national commissioner Maj. Gen. Puleng Dimpane, outlining the deficiencies identified during the oversight visit and requesting urgent intervention from police national management.

In addition, the committee has instructed the Civilian Secretariat for Police Service to inspect the remaining three explosives units in North West within the next two weeks and submit a detailed report.

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