THE national police commissioner, General Fannie Masemola, led a signing ceremony where the SAPS entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Virgin Active and Planet Fitness at the SAPS Tshwane Academy on Wednesday, 1 November.
The memorandum will encourage employees to remain physically fit and healthy. According to Masemola, this will help them accommodate members with a reduced fee from the two companies.
"There are those that are unfit, not all of them. More than 50% are quite average in terms of fitness so that they stay fit because their work requires fitness when they go toe to toe with criminals," he said.
Masemola said they need fit police officers, which will help reduce medical bills.
Masemola said there is a 20% discount for police joining fitness.
"The partnership will go a long way in the health and wellness of police, as a healthy body leads to a healthy mind and improves our psychological and mental stability," he said.
Masemola said he is watching the police and wants the police to get fit.
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Acting deputy national commissioner Lieutenant General Lineo Ntshiea said this is an important occasion.
"This will benefit our members on the ground. When you join SAPS, some requirements are that police members must be fit, mentally and psychologically," Ntshiea said.
Major General Busi Temba said fitness is not foreign to police.
"Masemola is talking to our fitness policy, which is not looking at our fitness but our lifestyle," she said.
"Effective police requires a fit and humbling person to offer policing."
Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union from the national office, Abel Masoka, said they must all be fit, as they can't serve and protect if they are unhealthy.
Planet Fitness representative Donovan Massyn said: "We want you to become the best possible version of yourself."
Tshidiso Kubheka from Virgin Active said: "Police have an important role to play in the communities."
