Racial makeup of police trainees sparks action fron SAPS

• SAPS launched an online recruitment drive on 21 October, calling on all South Africans between 18 and 35 to apply to join the police force
• A spokesperson confirmed that certain racial groups remain underrepresented in new police intakes, with some applicants failing to meet requirements or pass testing stages
• Applications for the new recruitment phase close on 13 November, giving prospective recruits roughly three and a half weeks to apply

The South African Police Service opened a new online recruitment drive on 21 October, urging young South Africans between the ages of 18 and 35 to apply and join the force. The announcement came after concerns were raised about the racial makeup of recent police intakes.

A SAPS spokesperson addressed the issue in an interview broadcast by eNCA on 22 October, acknowledging that fewer candidates from certain underrepresented racial groups had been coming forward to apply. The spokesperson also noted that some of those who did apply either failed to meet the minimum requirements or did not pass the various testing stages.

The new online recruitment drive is intended to widen the pool of candidates and give the service a better chance of selecting qualified young people from those groups that have been underrepresented in recent intakes. The spokesperson in the video by @encanews stressed that the call was open to all South Africans regardless of background, describing it as an opportunity for young people to step forward and join "the men and women in blue." Applications opened on 21 October and will close on 13 November. Watch the SAPS spokesperson's interview below:

South Africans weigh in on SAPS intake

The eNCA TikTok video covering the recruitment announcement drew a wave of responses from South Africans who had opinions both on the process and the broader debate around representation in the police force.

@Emma 🧚ᥫ᭡. said:

"We've been applying since we were 18, we are now 35! Mxm!"

@dyfuhpv1o5o6 wrote:

"It's because we are tired of applying and getting declined, previously in Western Cape we would apply in numbers, but we just wouldn't even get shortlisted, so what the hell"

@b🦋 added:

"Mama your website is doing nonsense hawu, we are struggling to even apply."

Other Briefly News stories about SAPS

• The South African Police Service issued a public safety warning regarding fake social media statements purporting to provide official updates on the police trainee intake and psychometric testing schedules.
• Following public claims by Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton McKenzie alleging racial exclusion in new police intakes, SAPS released data showing it received 1,049,998 total applications for its latest recruitment drive.
• The South African Police Service faced significant operational delays in onboarding 5,500 new police recruits following the sudden cancellation of its medical vetting contract with service provider Medicare24.

Source: Briefly News

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