The South African Police Service (SAPS) has recorded an overwhelming response to its online recruitment drive for 5,500 police trainees, with 156,131 profile registrations recorded nationwide in less than 24 hours after the portal opened at midnight on Wednesday, 21 October.

The recruitment drive invites South Africans under the age of 35, irrespective of race or gender, who meet the requirements to apply for an opportunity to pursue a career in policing and contribute to the fight against crime.

Of the 156,131 individuals who registered profiles, 78,473 completed the profile verification process. A further 53,716 initiated their applications, while 29,013 successfully completed and submitted their applications through the online portal.

In 2025 SAPS received almost one million applications for the police trainee program.

Given the high volume of traffic, prospective applicants are urged to exercise patience when accessing the portal and completing their applications. Applicants are encouraged to ensure that they meet all the requirements and submit their applications before the closing date.

Eligible applicants who have no criminal record and no pending criminal cases are encouraged to apply through the official SAPS eRecruitment portal: https://erecruitment.saps.gov.za/

The closing date for applications is 13 November.

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