36/1/4/1/201100017
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NO 318
DATE OF PUBLICATION IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 18 FEBRUARY 2011
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO 2- 2011)
Date reply submitted: 29 March 2011
318. Mrs S P Kopane (DA) to ask the Minister of Police:
(1) Whether any SA Police Service members in the Gauteng Province
underwent firearm shooting practice in (a) 2007, (b) 2008, (c) 2009
and (d) 2010; if not, why not; if so, (i) how many officers at each
police station underwent firearm shooting practice, (ii) how many
hours were spent practicing (aa) in total and (bb) on average by each
police officer and (iii) how many rounds of ammunition were used;
(2) (a) how many of these police officers are in the low-risk and medium-
risk category and (b) what minimum requirements must a member of the
police service meet in order to undergo shooting practice?
NW342E
REPLY:
1) Total number of members in Gauteng Province attended shooting
practice during the calendar years
2007,2008, 2009 and 2010:
(a)
| |CALENDAR YEAR |
| |2007 |
|Total number of SAPS Act Members Attending |11742 |
|Shooting Practice | |
(b)
| |CALENDAR YEAR |
| |2008 |
|Total number of SAPS Act Members Attending |16647 |
|Shooting Practice | |
(c)
| |CALENDAR YEAR |
| |2009 |
|Total number of SAPS Act Members Attending |21447 |
|Shooting Practice | |
(d)
| |CALENDAR YEAR |
| |2010 |
|Total number of SAPS Act Members Attending |16154 |
|Shooting Practice | |
The number of hours spent in practicing:
| |Calendar Years |
| |2007 |2008 |2009 |2010 |
|Total number of hours spent on |93936 |133176 |171576 |129232 |
|Shooting Practice | | | | |
Members spend an average of 8 hours at the shooting range during shooting
practice. This time includes not only shooting but also activities which
relate to the safe handling of a firearm. Depending on the level of skill
demonstrated during practice, members may spend more or less time than the
average of 8 hours.
Total number of rounds of ammunition used:
| |Calendar Years |
| |2007 |2008 |2009 |2010 |
|Total number of rounds of ammunition used| | |1072350|807700 |
|on Shooting Practice |587100|832350| | |
Members spend an average of 50 rounds at the shooting range during shooting
practice. Depending on the level of skill demonstrated during practice,
members may utilize more or less rounds during a shooting exercise than the
average of 50 rounds.
For a member to be declared competent in firearm shooting, a member must
achieve a score of at least 70% during training. As previously reported,
members are divided into categories, namely, Low and Medium Risk.
Members from the Low Risk category have to attend one (1) shooting practice
per year. Members from the Medium Risk category must attend at least two
(2) shooting practices per year.
At the end of February 2011, I requested that the Civilian Secretariat for
Police conduct and assessment into how firearms in SAPS are managed and
this includes firearm training provided to police officers. Based on this
assessment additional training and control measures that need to be put in
place will be developed.
Reply to question 318 approved by the Minister