Fat S.A police become a security threat

Mar 09, 2010

DESPITE making repeated assurances, doubts persist over the capacity of the South African government to guarantee security at this summer’s FIFA World Cup.

By Charles Mutebi
and agencies


DESPITE making repeated assurances, doubts persist over the capacity of the South African government to guarantee security at this summer’s FIFA World Cup.

Jacob Zuma’s government will therefore be unhappy with the disclosure of the fact that a fat portion of their police is overweight.

According to a report in the Telegraph based on a study on Metro police officers in the city of Port Elizabeth, more than half were found to be medically obese.

Elizabeth Trent, a Port Elizabeth councillor said “54 per cent were classified as medically obese.”

The obvious implication is that many South African cops lack the requisite mobility, which as Trent observed, “means there are a lot of officers out there who might struggle to chase a suspect or react quickly in a crisis.”

Now Mrs Trent wants police to slim down to improve their image before the World Cup.

“The solution is simple – the police should eat less and do more exercise.”

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