South African Police Service

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South African Police Service
South African Police Service badge
South African Police Service badge
South African Police Service flag
South African Police Service flag
AbbreviationSAPS
Agency overview
Formed1995
Preceding agencies
Employees171,692 (2021/22)
Jurisdictional structure
National agencySouth Africa
Operations jurisdictionSouth Africa
Size1,219,090 km2
Population62,091,133 (2022 census)
Constituting instruments
  • Constitution of the Republic of South Africa 1996, Chapter 11, Section 205
  • South African Police Service Act 68 of 1995
General nature
Operational structure
Officers117,950 (2022/23)
Civilians52,792 (2019/20)
Minister of Police responsible
Agency executive
  • General Sehlahle Fannie Masemola, National Police Commissioner
Divisions
6
  • Visible Policing
  • Cluster Coordination
  • Detective Service
  • Crime Intelligence
  • Criminal Record and Forensic Science Services
  • Protection and Security Services
Provincials
9
  • Eastern Cape
  • Free State
  • Gauteng
  • Kwazulu-Natal
  • Mpumalanga
  • Northern Cape
  • Limpopo
  • North West
  • Western Cape
Facilities
Stations1,138 (2014/15)
Website
www.saps.gov.za
[1]

The South African Police Service (SAPS) is the national police force of the

Republic of South Africa. Its 1,154 police stations[2] in South Africa are divided according to the provincial borders, and a Provincial Commissioner is appointed in each province. The nine Provincial Commissioners report directly to the National Commissioner. The head office is in the Wachthuis Building in Pretoria.[3]

The Constitution of South Africa lays down that the South African Police Service has a responsibility to prevent, combat and investigate crime, maintain public order, protect and secure the inhabitants of the Republic and their property, uphold and enforce the law, create a safe and secure environment for all people in South Africa, prevent anything that may threaten the safety or security of any community, investigate any crimes that threaten the safety or security of any community, ensure criminals are brought to justice and participate in efforts to address the causes of crime.[4]

Amnesty International and others have expressed serious concerns about South African police brutality, including torture and extrajudicial killings.[5][6][7]

History

Colonial years

The South African Police Service traces its origin to the Dutch Watch, a paramilitary organisation formed by settlers in the Cape Province in 1655 to protect civilians and to maintain law and order. In 1795, British officials assumed control over the Dutch Watch, and in 1825 established the Cape Constabulary (which became the Cape Town Police Force in 1840). In 1854, a police force was established in Durban which would become the Durban Borough Police, and in 1935 the Durban City Police (DCP).[8] Act 3 of 1855 established the Frontier Armed and Mounted Police Force in the Eastern Cape, restyled as the Cape Mounted Riflemen in 1878.[9]

1913-1994

The

2nd Infantry Division of the South African Army
in North Africa.

When the National Party (NP) edged out its more liberal opponents in nationwide elections in 1948, the new government enacted legislation that strengthened the relationship between the police and the military. Police subsequently became heavily armed, especially when facing unruly or hostile crowds. The Police Act (No. 7) of 1958 broadened the mission of the SAP beyond conventional police functions, and allowed police to quell civil unrest and conduct counterinsurgency operations. The Police Amendment Act (No. 70) of 1965 allowed police to detain any person, receptacle, vehicle, aircraft, or premises within one mile of any national border, and to seize anything found without a warrant. This search-and-seize zone was extended to within eight miles of any border in 1979 and to the entire country in 1983.

Post-apartheid (1994–present)

The new Minister of Safety and Security, Sydney Mufamadi, obtained police training assistance from Zimbabwe, the United Kingdom, and Canada and proclaimed that racial tolerance and human rights would be central to police training in the future. By the end of 1995, the SAPS had incorporated the ten police agencies of the former homelands, and had reorganised at both national and provincial level.

The Investigative Psychology Unit (IPU), also referred to as Investigative Psychology Section (IPS), was founded by forensic psychologist Micki Pistorius[10] in 1996. Elmarie Myburgh was a founding member It was then a division of the Serious and Violent Crimes Unit, later being moved to the Detective Service, and from June 2008 to the Criminal Record and Forensic Science Service (CRFSS). At that time, it comprised only three members at national head office level, led by Gerard Labuschagne.[11]

Organisation

Patrol in Stellenbosch

South African Police Service headquarters in located in Pretoria.

Divisions

As of March 2023, there were three Deputy National Commissioners, with each of these split into divisions as follows:[12]

  • Policing:
    • Visible Policing and Operations
    • Protection and Security Services
  • Crime Detection:
    • Detective and Forensic Services
    • Crime Intelligence
  • Support Services
    • Human Resource Management
    • Human Resource Development
    • Legal and Policy Services
    • Technology Management Services

Rank structure

A new ranking system of the South African Police Service was adopted in April 2010.[13] The change caused some controversy as new ranks like "general" and "colonel" have a military connotation. Furthermore, the new rank system mirrors the system used by the South African Police during the apartheid era. In 2009, Deputy Minister of Police Fikile Mbalula spoke of making the police a paramilitary force by changing the SAPS ranking system so that it would closely mirror the military ranking system. This created a significant amount of controversy from people critical of what they called the "militarisation" of the police.[14][15][16]

The ranking system was amended in 2016. The role of regional police commissioner was introduced, with the rank of lieutenant general. The major and lieutenant ranks were eliminated, with lieutenants assuming the rank of captain and majors assuming the rank of lieutenant colonel.[17][18]

Current senior staff

As of 2024 the National Commissioner is Lt. Gen. Sehlahle Fannie Masemola,[19] who was appointed on 31 March 2022.[20][21] Leon Mbangwa is Chief of Staff.[22]

SAPS organisational profile

SAPS organisational profile (March 2023)[23]
Rank Number of officers/employees
Ministerial personnel 30
National Commissioner (General) 1
Deputy National Commissioner (Lt. Gen.) 4
Div. Commissioners/National Head/Deputy Nat. Head, other top management (Lt. Gen.) 12
Provincial Commissioners (Lt. Gen.) 9
Major General 156
Brigadier 623
Colonel 2,417
Lieutenant Colonel 5,975
Captain 12,155
Non-commissioned officers 123,896
Public Service Act employees 34,226
Total employees 179,502
Police ranks of South Africa: Commissioned Officers
Group Senior Management
Rank
General
(Gen)
Lieutenant General
(Lt Gen)
Major General
(Maj Gen)
Brigadier
Role Designation of
National Commissioner
Actg. National Commissioner,
Deputy National Commissioner,
Regional Commissioner,
Provincial Commissioner,
Divisional Commissioner
Insignia
Police ranks of South Africa: Commissioned Officers
Group Junior Management
Rank Colonel (Col)
Lieutenant Colonel
(Lt Col)
Captain
Insignia
Police ranks of South Africa : Non-commissioned Officers
Group Other Ranks
Rank
Warrant Officer
(WO)
Sergeant (Sgt) Constable (Const)
Insignia

Resources

Vehicles

Through the early-1990s, the police were equipped with smoke and tear-gas dispensing vehicles, tank trucks with water cannons, vehicles that dispensed barbed wire or razor wire to cordon off areas, and a number of rotor and fixed wing aircraft for surveillance, ground force management, rapid deployment of Task Force and specialist teams to crime scenes and VIP personnel movements. The RG-12 'Nyala' is on the most commonly used armoured vehicle of the service. The Casspir Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle is another notable vehicle used by the police.[citation needed]

Aviation

As of October 2023, with the arrival of a new helicopter, the SAPS Air Wing operates a fleet of 34 aeroplanes and helicopters. The Air Wing has about 50 pilots and 300 other personnel.[25]

Fleet

The SAPS Air Wing fleet consists of:[26]

Firearms

Vektor R5 rifles in Johannesburg
, 2010

South African Police Service officers generally carry a Vektor Z88 9mm

]

Criticism and controversies