I remember in 1994 we were called to assist Snake Park police station, as it was under attack from AK47 rifle fire. I don’t remember the date, but it was after 00:00 I think it was a Sunday/Monday. We were the closest ISD vehicles in the area, I was posted Nyala driver so we rushed to the police station the station was one of those new designs built in the middle of shacks with hard dirt roads.
When we stood all the lights of the station was off, this was normal as darkness was cover, I heard shots from the shacks I switched off the lights of the Nyala grabbed my Uzi and spare mags then ran into the front gates of Snake Park Police station. I immediately saw a white uniformed member laying half under a parked car in the yard, I got some ‘cover’ by/under the parked car, I asked if he worked at this station (which would have being odd)? The member I shared some ‘cover’ with said he was from Roodepoort Dog unit, I asked him where the station members are and he said probably in the station quad hiding. He’s words were barely cold when a rifle discharged in the quad, as the station members were loading a rifle they got out of their charge office weapon safe. It was a strange surreal experience, like being in a movie.
We spent around 30 minutes all was quiet eventually our warrant officer arrived an operational diary entry was made and entries in the Snake Park charge office occurrence book, then I heard nothing of the incident again.
1994 was a strange time, so many incidents but hardly any press cover. Often shooting was so common that only incident’s where members where hit or state property was damaged, an issue were raised. Ask yourself; how many times during the run up to the 1994 elections were you fired upon during patrols, and how many times did these shootings (technically terror related attacks) even make it to any form of news media?
ABS - ISD Historical 