Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has renewed his criticism of the South African Police Service (SAPS) for failing to address the growing gang and drug violence in the city, warning that police numbers, including the SAPS detective shortage, continue to drop while the City expands its own law enforcement.
City warns of policing shortfall
Speaking on Friday 31 October, Hill-Lewis revealed that Cape Town has 1 300 fewer police officers than it did four years ago, even though the City has deployed 1 263 new Metro Police and Law Enforcement officers during the same period. This reduction contributes significantly to the ongoing SAPS detective shortage.
“Many of our communities are under siege from escalating gang and drug violence,” he said. “For every officer we are putting onto the streets, SAPS is taking one off. That is completely unacceptable and must be reversed.”
The mayor also highlighted that the City’s law enforcement now has nearly 500 more working vehicles than SAPS. In addition, there are 200 detective vacancies across Cape Town, which, he said, weaken the fight against organised crime. This vacancy rate further highlights the SAPS detective shortage impacting the region.
“Our crime-ridden communities are being let down,” Hill-Lewis said. “Our officers must get additional policing powers to step into the role that SAPS is sadly vacating.”
POPCRU supports detective reappointments
While the City criticises SAPS’s declining numbers, the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (POPCRU) has supported national measures to stabilise detective capacity. In August, the union welcomed SAPS’s decision to reappoint 353 former detectives on 12-month fixed-term contracts to strengthen investigations. These moves are crucial in addressing the significant SAPS detective shortage.
According to POPCRU, the reappointments come at a crucial time. “It is not uncommon for a single detective to manage between 200 and 300 dockets, with some handling up to 500,” the union said. “This overwhelming workload is unsustainable and undermines justice.”
National detective crisis
POPCRU reported that there are 2 344 vacant detective posts nationwide, with the largest shortages in the Western Cape (902) and KwaZulu-Natal (639). Between 2016 and 2023, more than 8 400 experienced detectives left SAPS, further reducing capacity. This contributes significantly to a national SAPS detective shortage that needs urgent attention.
To ease the pressure, POPCRU agreed to an R1 000 allowance for each reappointed detective. The union said this recognises the reintegration challenges and additional responsibilities these officers face.
Reforms to strengthen investigations
POPCRU believes that the reappointments, along with the “10 000 intake project” and the redeployment of 3 469 new constables, will begin to stabilise the detective service while long-term reforms take shape.
“Crime in South Africa demands a skilled and well-resourced investigative force,” POPCRU said. “This reappointment is a necessary and practical step toward that goal.”
SAPS was contacted for comment.
