The South African Police Service (SAPS) has received more than a million applications for 5 500 positions in its first e-Recruitment drive.
The shift to a digital platform was expected to reduce paperwork, curb corruption and nepotism, and prevent lost applications. It will also enhance fairness, efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and improve the integrity and speed of the recruitment process, the SAPS said.
The nationwide recruitment drive began on 30 June, with online applications closing on 18 July. It targeted young men and women aged 18 to 35 to join as police trainees for the 2025/2026 financial year.
In a statement on Saturday, the SAPS said a total 1 049 998 applications were received.
“A total of 595 049 from female applicants were received with 454 949 submitted by male applicants,” said the SAPS.
Gauteng topped the list of the provinces with the most applications at 267 031 followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 205 802. Limpopo had 115 877 applications followed by the Eastern Cape with 108 709 and Mpumalanga with 100 516.
The Western Cape was the fifth highest with 86 496 followed by Free State with 73 214. North West applicants were 66 167 with the least applications received from the Northern Cape with 26 186.
“[A total] 334 765 applicants are in possession of a NQF 6 (Diploma) and higher qualifications. The SAPS website will no longer receive applications, and the organisation wishes all young people well in this journey to join the service.”
Those whose profiles meet the set requirements will be contacted within three months and due to the high volume of applications received, those who did not meet the requirements will unfortunately not be notified.
Successful recruits will undergo nine-month-long training at the SAPS training academies nationwide and receive a monthly stipend of R4 500.
In the last three years, the SAPS Project 10 000, an initiative led by President Cyril Ramaphosa to bolster crime prevention efforts, has led to the recruitment and training of 30 393 young people between the ages of 18 and 35 as fully-fledged police officers.
There are currently 5 500 young people in SAPS academies who are training to become fully-fledged police officers. Some will graduate in August 2025, while the rest will graduate in December 2025.
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