Strengthening the SAPS for a safer South Africa

The Institute for Security Studies (ISS) report 'Strengthening the SAPS for a safer South Africa' provides a framework for reforming the South African Police Service (SAPS) to reverse a decline in organisational performance and public safety observed since 2012. The report outlines five strategic focus areas: leadership and professionalisation, serious violent crime, corruption and accountability, data and technology, and auxiliary policing. It argues that increasing personnel numbers alone is insufficient and calls for evidence-based strategic planning, improved investigative capabilities, and a shift toward a professional police identity to restore public trust.

• The South African Police Service (SAPS) has seen a significant decline in organisational performance since 2012, evidenced by a sharp drop in the murder case detection rate. In the 2011/12 period, 31% of murder cases were closed as detected, but this figure fell to 12.4% in the 2022/23 financial year.
• South Africa's murder rate increased by 53% between 2012 and the 2022/23 financial year, resulting in approximately 12,000 more victims in 2022/23 than in 2012. Firearm violence is a primary driver, accounting for over 40% of all murders and 37% of murders of women.
• The SAPS suffers from systemic corruption, misconduct, and a lack of professional discipline, which has eroded public trust. In the 2022/23 period, nearly R650 million was paid out in civil claims to victims of unlawful police conduct, primarily due to wrongful arrests.
• Current SAPS recruitment and training methods are outdated, relying on mass intake of candidates meeting minimum requirements (such as a matric certificate) rather than targeting specific high-level skills. There is a critical need for specialists in data analysis, digital forensics, and the investigation of complex financial and organised crime.
• The report recommends a strategic shift to prioritise the reduction of firearm-related crime as a means to demonstrably improve public safety and boost police morale. This includes establishing dedicated firearm units in all provinces and addressing corruption within the Central Firearms Registry.
• The SAPS Act of 1995 is considered outdated and facilitates inappropriate political interference in police operations and appointments. The report calls for amendments to the Act to constrain ministerial interference and require all directives to be provided in writing and submitted to Parliament annually.
• The SAPS lacks the organisational capability to effectively manage and maintain modern technology. The report suggests establishing a centre of excellence on data analysis at SAPS headquarters to move toward evidence-based policing and better map crime trends.

APA

Newham, G. (2024). Strengthening the SAPS for a safer South Africa. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/pages/1719390413742-SAPS-Report.pdf

Chicago

Newham, Gareth. Strengthening the SAPS for a safer South Africa. Institute for Security Studies, 2024. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/pages/1719390413742-SAPS-Report.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Newham |first1=Gareth |title=Strengthening the SAPS for a safer South Africa |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=June 2024 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/pages/1719390413742-SAPS-Report.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{newham2024strengthening, author = {Newham, Gareth}, title = {{Strengthening the SAPS for a safer South Africa}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2024}, month = jun, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/pages/1719390413742-SAPS-Report.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }