The South African Police Service (SAPS) has outlined plans for a comprehensive skills audit of its senior management as part of its 2025-26 financial year objectives. This follows a parliamentary question posed by Democratic Alliance MP Dianne Kohler Barnard, seeking clarity on the focus areas, processes and implications of the audit.
According to the Department of Police, the audit will assess a range of competencies relevant to senior management roles. These include managerial, administrative, operational, and command skills. The assessment will also encompass generic leadership and management competencies, operational leadership skills, and current as well as future training and development needs.
These competencies were identified as critical during the 2021-22 review of SAPS’ Executive Development Learning Programme. The intention is to align skillsets with job-specific demands and future organisational needs.
Audit Structure and Independence
The SAPS Skills Audit Unit will carry out the audit, supported by internal and external frameworks, including guidelines from the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) and the Public Service Sector Education and Training Authority (PSETA). Technical support for the electronic components will come from the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) and SAPS’ Technology Management Services (TMS) division.
While SAPS insists the process is structured to ensure independence and objectivity, it remains internally driven. Members conducting the audit will follow a dedicated framework intended to uphold ethical standards.
Prioritising Gaps and Future Use
Once skills gaps are identified, SAPS will compile individual profiles and development plans. Training needs deemed urgent will be prioritised and addressed through formal and informal programmes. The severity and relevance of the skills gaps, in relation to regulatory frameworks, will guide what is addressed first.
Notably, the audit findings will feed directly into decisions on recruitment and promotion within SAPS senior management, aiming to improve the alignment between individual capabilities and organisational needs.
Lifestyle Reviews: Financial Integrity Under the Microscope
In addition to the skills audit, SAPS confirmed that lifestyle reviews for senior and middle management remain ongoing. These reviews compare financial disclosures with known assets and income, verified via systems like eNATIS, the Deeds Registrar, and the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC).
Discrepancies such as undeclared assets or directorships are flagged and employees are given a chance to explain. Where explanations are insufficient, cases are referred for full lifestyle investigations. The results are shared annually with the Public Service Commission (PSC), including justifications for any anomalies found in senior management disclosures.
The dual focus on skills development and financial transparency suggests an effort to tighten internal governance and improve leadership quality. However, with the skills audit managed largely in-house, questions remain about the true extent of its objectivity and whether the measures will result in meaningful change or remain another bureaucratic exercise. The coming year will test whether these initiatives translate into better policing outcomes.
