Beyond SAPS detectives, three specialised groups, namely K9 handlers, mounted patrol officers, and armourers, will at last see their roles reflected in a formal rank structure, which could mark a turning point, said the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) on Friday. 

Popcru President Thulani Ngwenya described a joint meeting in Pretoria with the Minister of Police, Senzo Mchunu, and the SAPS leadership as a milestone in South Africa’s criminal justice landscape.

Ngwenya said the largest union in the criminal justice cluster, Popcru, was instrumental in securing a host of reforms aimed at improving working conditions, addressing rank stagnation, and boosting morale across the police service.

He said this included the scrapping of the controversial expeditious dismissal process, new promotion pathways for officers and civilian staff, and the reopening of enlistment for experienced former members.

Mchunu discussed issues related to human resources in the police and strategies for improvement.

He said that in April, the SAPS convened the National Policing Summit under the theme: Efficiency In Action: Optimising South Africa’s Policing Potential.

“The summit brought together key stakeholders and role-players in policing and crime prevention. From it emerged a number of outcomes which are already being implemented. I want to assure the public that we will keep them informed on our progress every step of the way.” 

According to Ngwenya: “This day marks the halfway point of a long-fought struggle to reclaim the dignity so often denied to public protectors who serve at the coalface, safeguarding our nation against a violent criminal element. For the first time, police management and labour shared a single platform to give the country a line-by-line account of changes coming to the SAPS.”

Ngwenya added that an enduring pain point for police officials has been the controversial expeditious dismissal regulations that allowed for the abuse of disciplinary procedures to unfairly punish officers.

The union has criticised the expeditious process for undermining the principles of natural justice, bypassing fair hearings, and fast-tracking the dismissal of members without due process.

“This flawed and biased system has now been discontinued, ensuring that officers will not be dismissed without a proper hearing and a reasoned decision,” he said. 

The SAPS is further finalising a promotion pathway for officers who have gone 20, 24, or 28 years without promotion. The union has repeatedly drawn attention to the fact that the lack of regular promotion opportunities drained morale and loyalty, as members felt their dedication was not recognised.

Ngwenya welcomed the number of 30,393 officers who have been appointed in the past three years, but cautioned that far more police officers are needed.

“South Africa’s criminal element is growing faster than the SAPS can manage. While appointing 11,000 units this and next year is a good start, we need more than double that to catch up,” he said.

Ngwenya said that Popcru has also successfully pushed the SAPS to review the scarce-skills benefits offered to members with specialised expertise – including hostage negotiators, divers, airborne units, coastal skippers, and vessel handlers.

The union again highlighted a mass exodus of highly skilled officers to better-paying jobs as evidence that the SAPS must improve incentives.

The National Police Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola, said that between 2018 and 2023, more than 57,000 police officers have progressed to higher ranks. 

These promotions include:

• Constable to Sergeant: 35,639 
• Sergeant to Warrant Officer: 6,107 
• Warrant Officer Band 1 to Warrant Officer B2: 15,405 

Masemola said they are considering promoting 10,000 constables and sergeants that are more than 11 years in their current rank in the 2025/26 financial year. 

In 2018 and for this financial year, more than 3,149 critical vacant posts at the supervisory level in the operational and support environments will be advertised and filled, added Masemola. 

He stated that 575 call centre operators have been trained and deployed to serve as call takers at their 10111 call centres across the country to ensure a much more rapid response to crime-related emergencies.

zainul.dawood@inl.co.za

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