Responding to a written parliamentary inquiry, SAPS declined to provide a detailed breakdown of vacant posts within its intelligence unit, citing national security risks. SAPS argued that revealing such information could expose operational vulnerabilities. Any request for these figures, noted the response, should be directed to the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence, Parliament’s oversight body for intelligence matters.

To bolster capacity in its intelligence wing, SAPS confirmed that 300 entry-level constables currently undergoing training will be deployed to the Division: Crime Intelligence once they graduate.

Additionally, 13 senior management posts are due to be advertised, pending approval by the Acting Minister of Police, who assumes duty on 1 August 2025. Beyond senior ranks, SAPS intends to advertise a further 221 posts at supervisory level, ranging from Warrant Officer to Colonel, within the current financial year.

The Detective Service, which continues to face widespread capacity constraints, is set to receive a significant injection of new personnel. SAPS stated that 3,469 trainee constables will be placed in detective services upon completing their training.

In addition, 1,200 posts across the ranks of constable, sergeant and warrant officer are being filled through re-enlistment and lateral transfers, while 353 former detectives will be reappointed on contract.

To strengthen leadership, four senior management posts have already been advertised, with further supervisory positions, from warrant officer up to colonel, earmarked for promotion-based appointments within the current financial year.

While SAPS has committed to boosting capacity, the refusal to disclose the exact number and duration of intelligence vacancies has raised questions over accountability and transparency. Critics argue that without clear data, it remains difficult to assess whether recruitment measures will be sufficient to address operational shortcomings in both crime intelligence and detective services.

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The incident took place on Friday 18 October, with Cameron saying, “There seems to be a worrying increase in mass murders in South Africa, something that is unacceptable and against the common vision and objective of the creation of safe and secure country.”

Cameron further called for “a concerted effort between the police and the community in order to stop this worrying trend.”

The Chairperson specifically noted the lack of effective investigations of criminal cases and prosecutions of alleged criminals, which he stated contributes to the rising criminality in South Africa. Furthermore, Cameron said without proper investigation and prosecution, all forms of criminality will continue to rise.

Cameron has repeatedly called for sound capacitation and strengthening of detective and crime intelligence units in the South African Police Service (SAPS).

The recent increase in mass killings is of particular concern, with Cameron saying “these communities that are depicted as mass murder hotspots by the recent crime statistics, were havens and citadels of peace and harmony historically and conservatively intolerant to all forms of crime. We are calling on SAPS to invigorate collaboration with traditional leaders and community policing forums to push back the frontiers of crime in rural communities particularly in the villages where it has reached unimaginable proportions.”

Cameron further stated the proliferation of illegal firearms which are used by the perpetrators of these crimes calls for the intensification of effective multiplicity of crime fighting strategies and to disarm criminals of those firearms. “We must do whatever is necessary to turn the tide of murders in the country,” he said.

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The question posed by Gana further inquired on the total number of cases which the National Prosecuting Authority refused to prosecute. However, Mchunu responded that “the South African Police Service (SAPS) cannot determine the total number of cases that the National Prosecuting Authority refused to prosecute in 2023/24.”

The Minister’s reply further revealed a total of 4 153 alleged incidents of wrongful arrest were registered with SAPS, and they had received claims totalling R2 241 082 675. Mchunu noted however, that “this is not the amount that would potentially be paid to claimants.”

Gana additionally posed the question of “what total number of suspects arrested during shootouts with the SAPS have been released due to insufficient evidence in the 2013 to 2023 financial years?” Mchunu’s reply additionally revealed the painstaking process officers used to management case documents.

The Minister noted this information “is not readily available on the Case Administration System (CAS)/Investigate Case Docket Management System (ICDMS),” and a detailed analysis would need to be conducted, per station, to provide this information.

“Case dockets will have to be extracted from archives and manually perused to identify the cases that relate to this request. This will be an extremely time-consuming exercise, which, given the operational policing requirement, would not be practical, as it will divert critical resources, thereby impacting negatively on service delivery,” noted the Minister

In a statement issued in response, Gana reiterated the “need for more detectives to ensure that all credible cases reach their natural conclusion, which is to see violent criminals in prison for rehabilitation.” Further, the statement noted the closure of rape cases as an issue of great concern, particularly given the prevalence of gender-based violence committed against women.

Noting previous responses by the Minister revealing SAPS had 8 594 vacant detective posts, Gana stated that “the women and men in blue are overstretched,” and this would naturally lead to officers missing key evidence at times.

“It is therefore vital that a full complement of detectives is recruited in order to ensure that there is a full detective service that is able to ensure that heinous crimes such as rape, murder and hijacking are investigated and prosecuted,” said Gana.

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This is according to Rise Mzansi’s Makashule Gana, who sits on the Portfolio Committee on Police. He was commenting in response to a written parliamentary reply by Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, that the SA Police Service (SAPS) has a detective vacancy rate of just over 8500.

Gana noted “that there are 8594 vacancies that remain open for detectives should be a big concern for all of us considering that we’ve got a high crime rate in the country and that many cases go unsolved.” Earlier this year, former Police Minister Bheki Cele revealed that in the previous five years, 5.4 million case dockets were closed without result.

Gana further noted that the high case load is placing strain on detectives, saying “the detectives that are in the employ of the South African Police Service say they are overwhelmed by the number of cases that they have to attend to.”

The vacancies are set to increase, with Gana adding that “on average 50 detectives leave the employ of SAPS [annually], pursuing other opportunities, mostly in the private sector, which in itself is a big worry.”

Further detail on the vacancies indicates the highest number of vacancies is in KwaZulu-Natal, followed by the Western Cape and Eastern Cape, areas where Gana noted “are crime hotspots.”

Regarding possible solutions to address the vacancies, Gana called on SAPS leadership “to ensure there is a plan to fill these positions. There has to be a training plan, and there has to be a recruitment plan.”

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