The Joburg Metro Police Department has denied reports that its has issued firearms to 1000 newly-graduated officers.
The group graduated in November last year after undergoing 18 months of training but has since been sent back because of the shortcomings identified in their training.
Some reportedly could neither handle weapons nor control traffic.
JMPD spokesperson Wayne Minnaar says reports that they were issued with firearms are inaccurate.
Minnaar says, “Before an officer can be given a firearm they need to be issued with a competency certificate. For an officer to be competent, to handle or to have a firearm they need to have enough practical training in order to be granted a firearm license. It is a requirement in terms of the Firearms Act… No one can give a firearm to them they don’t have a firearm license.”
Meanwhile, earlier in February Johannesburg Mayor Geoffrey Makhubo announced that he had plans to resuscitate the contract between the Joburg Metro Police Department and OUTsurance to reinstate points-men to manage traffic during peak hours and during load shedding.
Makhubo who has been in the post for two months, plans to reverse a number of decisions taken by former Mayor Herman Mashaba – calling them populist, costly and deceptive.
The contract between Joburg Metro Police Department and OUTsurance was cancelled in September last year.
“Populist policies and decision-making, by the former Executive Mayor in search of public-affirmation have rendered the city dysfunctional in many critical areas of the city service-delivery has been affected. For the purpose of today we have decided to specifically focus on key and immediate threats, particularly in the Emergency Services, Johannesburg Metro Police and on the insourcing of security officers in the city,” said Makhubo
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