10 000 more cops for SA — Cele
New recruits to supplement the SAPS at the end of this year in a bid to tackle crime
The police is set to recruit and deploy a further 10 000 officers in a bid to tackle crime.
Minister of Police Bheki Cele disclosed this in the SAPS’ annual performance plan for 2024-2025 and called for additional ground forces to help fight crime.
“Acknowledging human capital and plans to improve the current shortages, which backdate to 2010, an additional 10 000 recruits will be recruited to supplement the SAPS at the end of this year,” he said.
This will be done by appointing a targeted 10 000 police trainees and absorbing them as constables.
Mary de Haas, a researcher on violence in KwaZulu-Natal, said quality law enforcement was what was needed most.
De Haas said there was no point in increasing boots on the ground if they are not bona fide recruits who have passed competency tests (skills tests that measure higher level soft skills or competencies that are tied closely to one’s personality).
“All the boots on ground won’t help until something is done about management, as, with some exceptions, many management members got their promotions through nepotism and political patronage and not competence,” said De Haas.
She said much of police budget goes towards legal claims, bodyguards and ministerial expenditure.
De Haas added that police who are under the greatest threat are those whose investigations expose corrupt politicians or those associated with them.
“Therefore, we need far more than just more boots. It is quality that is most needed. And the implementation of an expert panel report on training and the appointment of a policing board for proper oversight,” said De Haas.
One of the main concerns of the police force is population growth and internal migration, according to the performance plan.
Population growth has shown a steady incline whilst the SAPS figures have been inconsistent over the years.
“The migration of the population has a significant impact on the demand for policing services within certain provinces, which is not necessarily commensurate with increases to the overall staff establishment of the SAPS,” read the plan.
A comparison of population inflows and outflows between the provinces in 2011, as per the 2011 census, and 2022, as per the 2022 census, indicates that there are significant differences in the volumes of people that are moving in and out of provinces.
In 2011, 795 330 people moved into Gauteng while 395 977 people moved out of the province, resulting in a net increase of 399 353 people.
A migration report profile by Statistics South Africa in 2023 indicated that the main reason most people migrate to other provinces was to look for paid work.
In an attempt to bring policing services into the community, the Minister of Police, General Bheki Cele and the management of the SAPS led by national police commissioner, General Fannie Masemola and the acting provincial commissioner of KwaZulu-Natal, Major General Phumelele Makoba officiated at the handover of the Gamalakhe Police
Station at Gamalakhe in KZN’s Ugu District.
Cele said that the police station was set up to bring policing services closer to communities.
He also stated that there needed to be a good relationship between the community and the police station in order to decrease crime.
“This police station will ensure the community of Gamalakhe has peace of mind, knowing that a fully-fledged police station is serving them within their radius. One of the fundamental goals of the SAPS is to improve safety in communities by putting required resources in place and partnering with communities to fight crime,” said Cele.
The police station will be servicing just over 60 000 people.
“This stations is well capacitated with adequate staff members and other resources needed to fight crime and ensure all people in and around this policing precinct are and feel safe,” said Makoba.