The South African Police Service (SAPS) recently launched its much-anticipated e-Recruitment drive on its official website, offering 5 500 aspiring police officers the opportunity to join its ranks.
For the first time in the organisation’s history, SAPS is utilising an Electronic Recruitment System, through which youth from all walks of life can submit applications to be considered for entry-level Police Trainee posts.
The shift to a digital platform is 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 nationwide recruitment drive began on 30 June 2025, with online applications closing on 18 July 2025. It targets young men and women aged 18 to 35 to join as police trainees for the 2025/26 financial year.
Qualifying young men and women without criminal records and/or pending criminal cases are encouraged to apply by visiting www.saps.gov.za/careers, then selecting the e-Recruitment portal from the drop-down menu.
SAPS will implement a targeted recruitment process to identify and consider applicants with specific skills and/or qualifications, such as graduates in Law, Policing, Criminology, Law Enforcement, Forensic Investigation and Information Technology, for placement in specialised environments such as the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), Detective and Forensic Services, and Crime Intelligence (CI).
“To ensure that SAPS enlists disciplined, energetic, intelligent, physically and mentally fit individuals dedicated to serving their country through policing, applicants will be subjected to a rigorous selection process, which entails psychometric testing, integrity screening, physical fitness assessments, fingerprint / vetting checks, as well as medical evaluations,” the South African Police Service said in a statement.
Successful recruits will undergo nine months of training at 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 resulted in 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, training to become fully fledged police officers. Some will graduate in August 2025, while the rest will graduate in December 2025,” the SAPS said.
The application process is free of charge, and no position within the SAPS is for sale. Applications must be submitted exclusively through the official SAPS website portal.
To apply visit: www.saps.gov.za/careers
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