The South African Police Service (SAPS) says it will identify unfit members for enrollment into a health and fitness programme.

This came out on the last day of the three-day National Policing Summit in Ekurhuleni.

The summit was convened to deliberate on new and advanced policing and crime fighting strategies. Major-General Busi Temba from SAPS Human Resource Management, says members enrolled in the  programme will undergo grueling physical fitness activities.

“We are also looking at embarking on programmes like your biggest loser programme for our members, I don’t know where morbidly obese because we do have members were in some instances when they are wearing uniform it doesn’t look so good. So, we are saying we will identify those members in partnership with our health partners so those members are put into a programme where they will embark on activities and at the end of the programme there will be an assessment of the before and after,” Temba comments.

Meanwhile, Gauteng Police Commissioner Tommy Mthombeni says they are closing in on some of the most wanted criminal syndicates and kingpins operating in the province. He says that of the more than 400 wanted suspects, they managed to arrest or eliminate at least 100.

These include violent criminals involved in armed robberies, kidnappings and hijackings.

“Over 400 we identified and over 100 we have taken down. I must just indicate that we have already added on what the premier has indicated and on Monday, here in Benoni we had where a business robbery and liquor outlet was robbed and with the collaboration of the security industry and they engaged us, and we had four fatalities. Yesterday, as well there was a cash in transit, and they engaged us and we had three fatalities and eleven arrests” Mthombeni says.

Western Cape Police Commissioner Thembisile Patekile, say’s enhanced technology is urgently needed to effectively fight crime in the province, especially in Cape Town.

According to Patekile, almost 75 percent of the crime committed in the Western Cape takes place in the Mother City.

“We are grateful that the City of Cape Town has CCTV cameras in many areas and hotspots like Manenberg and Nyanga and all of that. But we would want more so we are hoping for at least the technology is enhanced in the entire city, because 65 to 75 percent of our crime is in Cape Town, especially in the Cape Flats” Patekile elaborates.

#sapsHQ [DAY 3 – #PolicingSummit]
As the first Policing Summit concludes today, several breakout groups comprising academics and subject matter experts, focused on a wide range of priority areas. These included effective policing strategies, anti-corruption measures and… pic.twitter.com/wfpEZ2ECTv

— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) April 10, 2025

#sapsHQ During the closing remarks at the #PolicingSummit, the Minister of Police, Mr Senzo Mchunu appealed the delegated to work towards the implementations of the outcomes to ensure that this summit adds value to policing in South Africa to ensure the safety and security of… pic.twitter.com/GZJ2kz56Nq

— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) April 10, 2025

VIDEO | Security experts converge for police summit