• STF finishes top 10 in the UAE SWAT challenge.

• The challenge lasted for five days.

• Overall commander and component head responsible for Specialised Operations in South Africa expressed pride in the team.

The Special Task Force (STF) is the elite police tactical unit of the South African Police Service (SAPS). The Special Task Force handles high-risk operations that fall beyond the scope of classic policing which require specialized skills. 

The SAPS Special Task Force participated in the yearly five-day UAE SWAT Challenge. This challenge featured 55 teams from law enforcement agencies all over the world.

In this challenge, International teams go head to head within five challenge categories that will test their global tactical and weaponry professionals for the purpose of encouraging the exchange of techniques and promoting the high level of tactical skills, mental focus, and physical endurance possessed by SWAT Teams. This just-concluded challenge took place within Dubai SWAT Training Facility across a world-class setting.

In the just-concluded UAE SWAT World Challenge, the Special Task Force obtained ninth place with 183 points.

According to the national police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, the challenge assessed the tactical acumen, mental focus, and physical endurance of law enforcement agencies from across the world and had been designed to promote the exchange of knowledge, and expertise, and to strengthen partnerships to make communities safe.

Overall commander and component head responsible for Specialised Operations in South Africa, Major General Nonhlanhla Zulu has expressed pride in the team. “The members performance is commendable. In the world we are number nine but on the African continent we are number one, so this is a big achievement. We beat Kenya and Libya. So yes, we are satisfied with the results. We hope to do better next time,” she said.