National Police Commissioner, General Khehla Sitole, has assured that the health and well-being of SAPS members is a responsibility that his management does not take lightly.
This assurance came in the wake of the deaths of two members due to Covid19 and confirmation that 370 members tested positive for the virus. There were 55 recoveries.
In a statement on Thursday, General Sitole said in the Eastern Cape, a 29-year veteran of the SA Police Service succumbed to the virus on Monday, while a 55-year-old Warrant Officer died in Kwazulu Natal hospital on Sunday.
The Eastern Cape officer was identified in earlier media reports as acting Middelburg Station Commander, Captain Andrew Leslie.
Meanwhile, General Sitole said that the majority of the SAPS members who tested positive for the coronavirus were in the Western Cape.
He said a delegation from the National Steering Committee visited the province to provide the necessary support while ensuring that the protocols to contain and manage the COVID-19 virus are being implemented.
The Police Commissioner said psychological support to SAPS members is being offered through the Service’s Employee Health and Wellness (EHW) Component.
“The establishment of a 24/7 COVID-19 hotline is but another measure that has been put in place to ensure continuous support to our infected and affected members and their families,” he said.
Sitole said that weekly compliance visits were being conducted at all SAPS premises, including police stations to “ensure that all SAPS members have the necessary PPE and crucial items to protect them and the visitors at all frontline points against the virus.”
“Members of the South African Police Service remain committed to the fight against this virus while also ensuring that the people of South Africa are and feel safe against any form of criminality,” General Sitole said.
