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Police Minister Bheki Cele.
- The early retirement initiative of the South African Police Service caused nearly 5,000 officers to leave the police service.
- Police Minister Bheki Cele approved the early retirement of employees, in phases, between March 2020 and March 2021.
- Police officers who left the service have been invited to request their reinstatement.
A recent early retirement campaign, downsizing and the inability to fill an additional 7,000 posts led to nearly 5,000 South African Police Service (SAPS) staff members leaving the police service.
That’s according to Police Minister Bheki Cele, who said the downsizing went from 192,277 to 187,358 in the 2019/2020 financial year.
These figures are contained in Cele’s response to a written parliamentary question from DA MP Ockert Terblanche who wanted details about the SAPS early retirement campaign and other staff challenges.
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Terblanche, who previously served as Major General in SAPS, also wanted details on the coverage of 7,000 additional posts.
Cele said there are several strategies to ensure that the police can fulfill their mandate.
Following the announcement and implementation of the early retirement initiative, Cele approved the early retirement of employees, in phases, between March 2020 and March 2021.
“Employees who are the oldest and closest to their retirement age have been allowed to leave SAPS first. The early retirement initiative supports the current restructuring process within SAPS. [That is to] downscaling to higher levels and improving employment at the entry level, as well as achieving government efforts to contain spending with anticipated savings in the wage bill, “he said.
Cele said the downsizing typically occurs at levels higher than entry levels.
“Therefore, the SAPS periodically announces vacancies for promotions and appointments, to ensure that the provision of the service is not compromised. Although the process for the enlistment of 7,000 police in training was suspended, due to the restrictions of the Covid- 19, SAPS is considering enlisting some 3,000 active reservists in October [2020]”Cele said.
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He said SAPS is also considering recruiting approximately 4,000 outside applicants as police apprentices.
They will begin basic training in January 2021, Cele said.
“Suitable former police officers who left SAPS with the rank of sheriff, sergeant, and noncommissioned officer have been invited to apply for reenlistment. They will be stationed in places where there is currently a shortage of personnel, including but not limited to specialized Units such as Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Crimes, Public Order Surveillance Unit, as well as recently established units, such as Taxi Violence [Unit], Investigation Units of Solved Cases and Murder and Theft, “said Cele.
A cold case is an unsolved criminal investigation that remains open.
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