Cape Town – Newly appointed Police Minister Senzo Mchunu says the South African Police Service (SAPS) is set to recruit an additional 10 000 members over the next financial year as part of a strategic expansion to combat crime more effectively.
Mchunu announced this initiative during the department’s Budget Vote presentation in the National Assembly on Tuesday.
The minister emphasised the department’s commitment to increasing police visibility, enhancing community responsiveness, and improving crime detection and intelligence capabilities.
“This strategic expansion is crucial for addressing the growing demands of the communities and ensuring that we can effectively combat crime across the country.”
In the 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 budget periods, additional funding allowed SAPS to enlist 10,000 new employees each year.
MINI PLENARIES Budget Vote 28, 24 & 21: Police (including Independent Police Investigate Directorate & Civilian Secretariat for the Police Service) (GHC), 16 July 2024 https://t.co/TDSF5V25y3
— Parliament of RSA (@ParliamentofRSA) July 16, 2024
“For the 2024/2025 financial year, this additional funding will enable us to appoint another 10 000 police trainees, covering personnel losses through natural attrition and facilitating workforce growth,” Mchunu said.
He highlighted the importance of enhancing safety protocols and measures to protect police officers in the line of duty.
Comprehensive training programmes, advanced protective equipment, and clear operational guidelines will be implemented to reduce risks faced by officers, he said.
Additionally, a focus on mental health support and regular safety assessments will contribute to a safer working environment.
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) will also see staffing improvements to ensure it can adequately conduct its mandate.
“The department continues to analyse its organisational structure, which resulted in the extensive review of the current functions; re-prioritising and re-grouping of the functions in respective units to ensure the optimal utilisation of the limited resources. IPID has a number of recruitment processes underway in respect of various positions,” Mchunu said.
The SAPS budget for the 2024/2025 financial year is R113.597 billion.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
