South African Railway Police Task Force Camouflage Long Sleeve Shirt (IN ALMOST MINT CONDITION)
The South African Railway Police was a respected and specialized law enforcement agency in South Africa, established in 1934 to oversee the security of the country's railways, harbors, and, subsequently, international airports.
On 24 October 1975, a new division within the South African Railway Police (SARP) was established: the South African Railways Police Special Task Force.
The primary objective of this unit was to effectively manage hostage situations involving ships, buses, aircraft, buildings, and trains.
Personnel assigned to this unit received training at the South African Infantry School and were deployed across the nation.
In 1980, under the direction of Brigadier A.F. Horak, the unit underwent reorganization and further specialized training.
Notably, the unit is publicly recognized for its involvement in resolving the 1981 Air India hijacking incident in Durban.
For Historical Purposes, the actual Newspaper article:
Nov. 26, 1981
Unidentified hijackers seized an Air India Boeing 707 jetliner...
DURBAN, South Africa -- Unidentified hijackers seized an Air India Boeing 707 jetliner with 79 passengers and crew aboard after it left the Seychelles Islands early Thursday and forced it to fly to South Africa.
It landed at Durban shortly after 5 a.m. local time.
A South African foreign ministry official said the passengers were allowed off the plane shortly afterwards but were still under the control of the hijackers.
The crew apparently remained aboard the plane with the hijackers.
An Air India spokesman in Bombay would say only that the plane has landed safely in Durban and the 14-member crew and 65 passengers are safe.'
The hijacking coincided with unconfirmed reports that Seychelles troops had foiled an attempt to take over the international airport at Mahe in the Seychelles by an estimated 150-armed mercenaries.
Airport officials in Durban said they did not know who the hijackers were but said they had asked for a doctor and morphine, a pain-killing drug.
The officials said the airliner tried to land at Jan Smuts airport in Johannesburg but was diverted to Durban.
They said the aircraft was originally scheduled to fly from the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean to Bombay.
The authorities sealed off the airport in Durban, cancelling all flights. The plane was parked on the main runway at Louis Botha Airport.
The foreign ministry spokesman said the South African Railway police hijack task force had been alerted.
'They are in continuous contact with the airport authorities in Durban, who are in full control of the situation,' the foreign ministry spokesman said.
On October 1, 1986, the South African Railway Police was officially disbanded. All operational functions, personnel, and logistical resources were amalgamated into the South African Police.
As a result, the specialized role once fulfilled by the Railway Police was absorbed into the broader law enforcement structure of the country.
Items issued have become obsolete and are considered rare, particularly when found in near-mint condition.
The Machining Long-Sleeved Shirt is currently available for purchase.
This presents a unique opportunity for preserving this significant aspect of history.
