A day with the West Rand Flying Squad: Rapid responses and high-stakes crime busts

They respond to active crime scenes, confront drug dealers, and even help deliver babies on the sidewalk. Who are they? The West Rand Police Flying Squad.

Krugersdorp News journalist Heinrich Greyling recently spent a day riding along with Sergeants Elton Padayachey and Russel Mungur – two members of the West Rand Police Flying Squad (WRFS) with a combined 40 years of service. Together, they offered a rare glimpse into the intense and unpredictable nature of their job. The ride-along was organised by the spokesperson of the police’s WRFS, Karen du Plessis.

So, who are the West Rand Flying Squad?

Commander Colonel Langwani Shingange describes the unit as the rapid-response team that tackles crimes while they’re still in progress, including hijackings and cash-in-transit heists. Their fleet includes high-performance VW GTIs and BMWs, allowing the 47 officers in the squad to reach any point in the West Rand jurisdiction within minutes.

From street drama to drug busts

The day began with Padayachey and Mungur heading to Sivewright Street, hoping to conduct a few “shakedowns” of suspected drug dealers.

However, before they arrived, they were flagged down by a woman who needed urgent help – another woman was in labour on the sidewalk. With no time to spare, the sergeants called an ambulance and waited 25 minutes for its arrival.

Their presence, however, had an unintended consequence: Most of the suspected dealers fled the scene as soon as they spotted the police car. Determined to make progress, the officers spoke to bystanders and quickly gathered a lead from a man holding several R200 notes. The man admitted he’d intended to buy drugs at a nearby flat. Acting on the tip, Padayachey and Mungur searched the premises but found no drugs. The woman who had let them in bolted as soon as the search ended.

Chasing down armed suspects

The pace picked up when undercover officers informed the sergeants of a planned drug bust in Kagiso. En route, they received a call about four armed men in a Polo with blue lights, spotted at a Lanseria service station.

With sirens blaring, the Flying Squad raced to the scene at speeds of up to 200km/h, only to find the suspects had already fled. Suspecting they may have headed toward the Hartbeespoort Dam area, the officers drove to the North West border before handing off the search to fellow officers.

The bust finally happens

Returning to Kagiso, Padayachey and Mungur regrouped with undercover officers closing in on their drug-dealing suspect. They took a brief detour to check a suspicious vehicle, which turned out to be clear, and then received the green light – it was time to move in.

The bust resulted in the arrest of a man for possession of crystal meth. Despite their best efforts, no additional drugs were found. Padayachey remarked that drug dealers have become extremely creative with hiding their stashes.

With the day’s action winding down, the sergeants transported the suspect to Kagiso police station, where they booked him into custody and completed the necessary paperwork.

For Padayachey, Mungur, and the rest of the West Rand Police Flying Squad, this was just another day on the job – one filled with split-second decisions, high-speed chases, and the constant drive to make their community safer.