A new Stellenbosch K9 unit has officially hit the ground with four dogs trained to help detect drugs, illegal firearms and ammunition, with one of the dogs already making finds before Thursday’s launch, Cape {town} Etc reports.
The unit was officially launched on 1 October through a partnership between Stellenbosch Municipality and the Western Cape Government, which has committed R400 000 during 2025/26 and another R1 million during 2026/27 towards its establishment and strengthening.
K9 Juno and her handler had already been delivering results before the official launch, with Juno detecting drugs that had been deliberately concealed.
‘Juno has already shown us what is possible. Before this unit was even officially launched, she was detecting drugs that criminals had attempted to conceal,’ Western Cape Community Safety Minister Anroux Marais said.
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The Stellenbosch unit joins similar municipal K9 capabilities supported by the province in Swartland, Mossel Bay and Overstrand. The next phase will include a K9 training facility and municipal breeding programme, with the possibility of supplying trained dogs to neighbouring municipalities.
The provincial government says the unit comes as Kayamandi and Cloetesville have recorded increased levels of gang-related and organised crime.
Premier Alan Winde said the investment was intended to strengthen safety at a local level. ‘We are making strategic investments into safety by putting resources into programmes, such as K9 units, that have proven their effectiveness and worth,’ Winde said.
For Marais, the dogs provide another specialised tool for local law enforcement. ‘Today we are putting another specialised tool into the hands of law enforcement,’ she said. ‘K9 capability is an essential part of modern crime fighting, particularly when dealing with narcotics and organised criminal networks.’
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Picture: Stellenbosch Municipality / Facebook
