The South African Police Service (SAPS) has clarified its current approach to the utilisation and integration of police reservists, while also providing updates on the status of outstanding payments and future recruitment considerations.

The clarification was provided by Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, in response to a parliamentary question posed by Dereleen Elana James, Member of Parliament for ActionSA.

At present, the SAPS makes provision for two categories of reservists who serve on a voluntary basis. Category 1 includes functional policing reservists who support operational duties at station level. Category 2 consists of reservists with specialised skills or expertise, which may be applied either operationally or in support roles across the service. All reservists are expected to contribute a minimum of 16 hours of voluntary service each month.

In terms of outstanding payments, the SAPS reported that, as of 13 March 2025, 99.97% of all back payments owed to reservists had been finalised. These payments relate to duties performed when reservists are officially called up. A review process was launched to ensure that tariffs paid to reservists are updated annually. The responsibility for processing payments rests with each province’s Commissioner, and the SAPS has prioritised settling any remaining back payments, linked to tariff adjustments, before the end of the current financial year.

While reservists are eligible to apply for permanent positions within the SAPS, the organisation has confirmed that no specific recruitment quota or preferential allocation is currently reserved for reservists in upcoming intakes. Instead, all applicants, including reservists, must meet the same recruitment and appointment criteria and go through the standard selection processes.

The SAPS has encouraged all eligible reservists to submit applications during recruitment drives, noting that prior service and experience will be taken into account during the selection process, but will not automatically guarantee appointment.

The service maintains that reservists continue to play an important supplementary role in policing across the country and that their contributions are recognised through both policy and practice. Further communication regarding recruitment cycles and payment updates is expected to be shared through provincial offices and official SAPS platforms.