North West MEC for Public Safety, Howard Yawa MEC has issued a warning to overweightpolice officers who have not started visiting the gym, who eat fat cakes and chesa nyama (braaivleis) instead of fruits and vegetables that the police service might soon not have uniforms for them to squeeze in. Yawa issued the warning in his keynote address delivered at the SAPS National Functional Fitness Championship Gala Function and Prize Awarding Ceremony held on Thursday evening in Potchefstroom .
In emphasising the importance of physical fitness of police officers said that healthy and fit police officers will succumb to fewer stress injuries and log few sick days, leading to less under-staffing and safer work environment.
“In many cases criminals may rethink their impulse to run or fight when confronted with an officer who is clearly in better shape that they are. And should they attempt to escape as we have seen them trying during courts appearances, etc,the chances of recapture or restraint are much better. Fit people also tend to have a better self-image and in the case of our officers this will translate to a more secure, more assertive character, which will help you in the performance of your duties” MEC told officers who participated in the championship.
Yawa said breaking up fights in progress is also much more successful when the officers have the strength and the stamina to separate the combatants hence the functional fitness championship is about speed, strength and endurance.
He reminded the officers that the weight of particularly uniformed officers is always under close public scrutiny and thatpolice officers are often made fun of because an overweightpolice officeris seen at a cheza nyama, pizza shop or a doughnut shop.
He urged the police officers that their health should become their first safety barometer and not their bullet proof vests “ the gym and not the tavern, the treadmill and not the snooker table. Let’s go for the stairs and not the lifts for a healthier police service,” encouragedYawa
Yawa said that by participantsin the Reetsa National Functional fitness Championship havedemonstrated their determination to look the part as role models in both behavior and appearanceand that it was encouragingthat they are strivingto look tough and agile to outrun and outmaneuver criminals onstreets and in neighbourhoodsto win the war against crime.
He said that the championship should sent a message to criminals that their parasitic days are numbered because police are closing the gap between unfit and fit at a fast pace to wrestle and tackle criminals with the agility of a cheetah and the strength of an African elephant.
Enquiries:
Lesiba Moses Kgwele (Departmental Spokesperson)
Tel : (018) 381 9171
Cell : 083 629 1987
Fax : (018)381 9123
E-mail : Lkgwele@Nwpg.Gov.Za
