E Cape police embark on massive recruitment drive

IF YOU are still hoping to become a police officer in the Eastern Cape you have five days left to apply.

The SA Police Services is still looking for 300 to 800 new recruits as it plans to bolster its numbers, provincial police spokesman Captain Khaya Tonjeni said – but the closing date for applications is Friday.

The recruits, who should be between 18 and 30 years, not have a criminal record or a pending trial, will undergo an eight-month training block before being placed in one of 141 police stations to strengthen policing in the Eastern Cape.

Tonjeni urged young South Africans to seize the opportunity.

“We are concerned by the slow pace of applications and more so because the past events have shown us that applicants wait until the last day to go and drop their applications, creating a stampede.

“The problem with last day [applications] is that we won’t spend the whole day accepting applications so some people will arrive late and complain when we don’t accept their applications,” he said.

Tonjeni said applicants should possess proof of residence, identity book, a valid driver’s licence and a matric certificate.

“Applicants will be subjected to a medical and fitness test and if they don’t pass, they will be sent away,” he said.

Tonjeni said no applications would be accepted after Friday.

“Another thing we want to emphasise is that those applicants who want to send their applications via e-mail, must not do that on the day of closing [of applications] because the application will not reach us the same day,” said Tonjeni.

The SAPS has in the past come under criticism for its overweight police officers. But this time the emphasis is on high fitness levels for applicants.

Male applicants must have a waist circumference no larger than 102cm and women 88cm, said Tonjeni.