Question NW2208 to the Minister of Police
30 September 2021 - NW2208
Hunsinger, Mr CH to ask the Minister of Police
Whether there Is a dedicated railway police service; if not, why not; if so, (a) how is it structured and mandated, (b)(i) where are the specified railway police officers based and (ii) with what total number of members in each place, (c) under whose command are the railway police officers (i) centrally and (ii) in each respective location and (d) what training do they receive which relates to railways;
Reply:
Yes, the South African Po\ice Service (SAPS) does have dedicated Railway
Police unite.
(1}{a) The Railway Police Is mandated to render a visible policing service, to ensure the safety of commuters, passengers, freight and the rail transport” system, conduct preventative and reactive policing service within the rail environment, provide a rapid rail policing service and perform crime prevention and crime combating operations, In the rail environment.
(1)(b}(l) The five Railway Police units are situated in four provinces, namely: The Western Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape. Each Unit has a dedicated responsibility towards Metrorail, Mainline (Long Distance Paa6anger Trains), High Speed Trains (Gautrain) and Cross-Border Freight.
Gauteng North and Limpopo- Unit 1: Railway Police officers are situated in me following Railway Police corridors, namely: Pretoria (Pretoria Corridor and High-speed North Corridor), Mabopane Corridor, Saulsville Corridor, Danneboom Corridor (Dennaboom and Cross-Border and Freight corridors),
Belle-Ombre Corridor, Kempton Park(Kempton Park Corridor and High-speed South Corridor) and Silverton, in the Pretoria-Mainline Corridor.
Gauteng South and North West- Unit2: Railway Police officers are situated in the following Railway Police corridors, namely: Johannesburg Corridor, Germiston Corridor, Springs Corridor, New Canada Corridor, Krugersdorp Corridor, Stretford Corridor and Mainline and Germiston Cross-Border and Freight.
Western Cape and Northern Cape- Unit 3: Railway Police officers are situated in the following Railway Police corridors, namely: Bellville Corridor (Bellville Corridor and Cross-Border and Freight Corridor), Cape Town (Cape Town Corridor, Cross-Border and Freight Corridor), Retreat Corridor and Phillipi Corridor.
Eastern Cape and Free State• Unit4: Railway police officers are sttuatad in the following Railway Police corridors, namely: Ea6t London Corridor, Mount Ruth Condor, Swartkops Corridor(Nqheberha) and Nqhaberha Cross-Border and Freight corridors.
KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga• Unit 5: Railway police officers ara situated in the following Railway Police corridors, namely: Durban Corridor, Kwa-Mashu (Kwa-Mashu and Mainline Corridor), Reunion (Reunion Corridor, Cross-Border and Freight Corridor, Cavendi6h Corridor and Escombe
(1)(b)(ii)Gauteng North and Limpopo- Unit 1: 800 members
Gauteng South and North West- Unit2: 711 members
Western Cape and Northern Cape- Unit 3: 502 members
Eastern Cape and Free State- Unit4: 314 members
KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga- Unit5: 621 members
(1)(a)(i) The Railway Police is a centralised structure, resorting within the Division: Visible Policing and Operations, under the command of the Component Head:
Rapid Rail and Police Emergency Services, at the level of a Major General. The Railway Police is a national competency.
(1)(c)(ii) The structure for all the unit are, as follows:
A Unit Commander, at the level of a Brigadier.
An Operational Commander, at the level of a Colonel, for Metrorail, a Colonel for Mainline and Cross-Border Freight and only in Gauteng, an Operational Commander, for the High Speed traina (Gautrain).
A Corridor Commander, at the level of a Lieutenant Colonel.
A Support Commander, at the level of a Lieutenant Colonel.
(1)(d) Training courses, which relate to the rail environment, are as follows:
Railway Orientation Course.
Railway Training Course.
Tactical Policing (TP) I and II.
Crime Prevention Course.
(2) This information is not readily available. A request is made for an extension of three weeks, in which to provide the ra9ponse.
Reply to question 2208 recommended
GENERAL NATIONAL COMMISSIONER: SOUTH AFRICAN POLICE SERVICE
KJ SITOLE (SOEG)
Date: 2021-09-23
Reply to question 2208 approved
MINISTER OF POLICE
GENERAL BH CELE, MP
Date: 29-09-2021