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Police minister calls for white youth to join SAPS

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Police Minister Fikile Mbalula says the lack of interest in the police service by young white people in the country is concerning. Mbalula was addressing thousands of police trainees at a pass out parade in Pretoria.

The police service held three pass-out parades for over 3000 trainees in Gauteng, Western Cape and the Eastern Cape.

Over the years, the number of white people applying to be part of the South African police service has continued to dwindle.

Out of the 3499 trainees who passed this year, only 900 were women, and only twelve were white.

Police Minister Fikile Mbalula says this is a serious concern. “And I’m asking the white youth in South Africa to join the police service. Of this 3499 we only have twelve white young people. I want them to come to the police and join the ranks of the police to protect and serve their country. I want them to understand policing, it is a good career and that South Africa is their home too.”

The National Police Commissioner General Khehla Sitole says there are already plans in place to address inequalities in the police service.

“Transformation is a new priority in terms of the new turn around vision of SAPS and gender equality is top of the agenda.”

Mbalula has also encouraged the graduates to protect the citizens of this country.

“Use that training to serve and protect these people who are around us today, we must crush criminals, we must squeeze the space, squeeze the pace for criminals not to have a holiday.”

In the Eastern Cape 686 recruits from that area, Free State and Northern Cape graduated in Bhisho on Friday.

Eastern Cape provincial Commissioner, Lt. General, Liziwe Ntshinga says the new recruits will be deployed as per demand in the province.

“All these people will be deployed in the malls and beaches in the festive season. After the festive season we will be taking them to various stations because we already have a plan where there’s a shortage. In rural stations we need people, semi urban we need people. So we already have a plan. This 374 they know where they will be going but for the festive season we have a specific plan to deploy where there are hot spots. We will put them in the Northern Areas in PE,those drug infested areas, in beaches and malls.”

The new SAPS Constables will be deployed at various police stations around the country. They will do a one year in-service training as part of further assessment.

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