| South African Police Service | |
| Abbreviation | SAPS |
| Logo of the South African Police Service. | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1995 |
| Preceding agencies |
|
| Employees | 190,199[1] (March 2010) |
| Legal personality | Governmental: Government agency |
| Jurisdictional structure | |
| National agency | South Africa |
| Size | 1,219,090 km2 |
| Population | 49,320,500[1] (June 2009) |
| Constituting instruments |
|
| General nature | |
| Operational structure | |
| Officers | 150,513[1] (March 2010) |
| Civilians | 39,033[1] (March 2010) |
| Divisions |
6
|
| Provincials |
9
|
| Facilities | |
| Stations | 1116[1] |
| Website | |
| http://www.saps.gov.za/ | |
| Footnotes | |
| See the reference[2] below for the source of the above data. | |
The South African Police Service (SAPS) is the national police force of the Republic of South Africa. Its 1116 police stations in South Africa are divided according to the provincial borders, and a Provincial Commissioner is appointed in each province. The 9 Provincial Commissioners report directly to the National Commissioner.
The Constitution of South Africa lays down that the South African Police Service has a responsibility to prevent, combat and investigate crime, maintain public order, protect and secure the inhabitants of the Republic and their property, uphold and enforce the law, create a safe and secure environment for all people in South Africa, prevent anything that may threaten the safety or security of any community, investigate any crimes that threaten the safety or security of any community, ensure criminals are brought to justice and participate in efforts to address the causes of crime.[3]
From 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010, 107 SAPS officers died while on duty.[1]
Contents |
The South African Police Service traces its origin to the Dutch Watch, a paramilitary organization formed by settlers in the Cape in 1655, initially to protect civilians against attack and later to maintain law and order. In 1795 British officials assumed control over the Dutch Watch and in 1825 they organized the Cape Constabulary, which became the Cape Town Police Force in 1840. In 1854 a police force was established in Durban which would become the Durban Borough Police and in 1935 the Durban City Police (DCP).[4] Act 3 of 1855 established the Frontier Armed and Mounted Police Force in the Eastern Cape, restyled as the Cape Mounted Riflemen in 1878.[5]
The South African Police was eventually created after the Union of South Africa in 1913. Four years later, the Mounted Riflemen's Association relinquished its civilian responsibilities to the SAP as most of its riflemen left to serve in World War I. The SAP and the military maintained their close relationship even after the SAP assumed permanent responsibility for domestic law and order in 1926. Police officials often called on the army for support in emergencies. In World War II, one SAP brigade served with the 2nd Infantry Division of the South African Army in North Africa.
When the National Party (NP) edged out its more liberal opponents in nationwide elections in 1948, the new government enacted legislation strengthening the relationship between the police and the military. The police were heavily armed after that, especially when facing unruly or hostile crowds. The Police Act (No. 7) of 1958 broadened the mission of the SAP beyond conventional police functions, such as maintaining law and order and investigating and preventing crime, and gave the police extraordinary powers to quell unrest and to conduct counterinsurgency activities. The Police Amendment Act (No. 70) of 1965 empowered the police to search without warrant any person, receptacle, vehicle, aircraft, or premise within one mile of any national border and to seize anything found during such a search. This search-and-seize zone was extended to within eight miles of any border in 1979 and to the entire country in 1983.
After the end of apartheid, the SAP was renamed South African Police Service (SAPS), and the Ministry of Law and Order was renamed the Ministry of Safety and Security, in keeping with these symbolic reforms. The new minister of safety and security, Sydney Mufamadi, obtained police training assistance from Zimbabwe, Britain and Canada and proclaimed that racial tolerance and human rights would be central to police training programs in the future. By the end of 1995, the SAPS had incorporated the ten police agencies from the former homelands and had reorganized at both the national level and at the level of South Africa's nine new provinces.
The SAPS currently consist of a large reserve division named the South African Reserve Police Service. These members help part-time to combat crime in South Africa.
Three police unions were active in bargaining on behalf of police personnel and in protecting the interests of the work force, as of 1996. These are the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (POPCRU), which has about 15,000 members; the South African Police Union (SAPU), which has about 35,000 members; and the Public Service Association (PSA), which has about 4,000 members.
The commissioned officers in the force are 57% black, 28% white, 10% coloured, 5% Indian; 70% male, 30% female. Non-commissioned officers are 78% black, 10% coloured, 10% white, 2% Indian; 78% male, 22% female.[1]
The SAPS headquarters in Pretoria is organized into six divisions. These are the Crime Combating and Investigation Division, the Visible Policing Division, the Internal Stability Division, the Community Relations Division, the Supporting Services Division, and the Human Resource Management Division.
The Crime Combating and Investigation Division holds overall responsibility for coordinating information about crime and investigative procedures. It administers the SAPS Criminal Record Centre, the SAPS Commercial Crime Unit, the SAPS Diamond and Gold Branch, the South African Narcotics Bureau, the Stock Theft Unit, the Inspectorate for Explosives, murder and robbery units located in each major city, and vehicle theft units throughout the country. In addition, the division manages the National Bureau of Missing Persons, which was established in late 1994.
The Visible Policing Division manages highly public police operations, such as guarding senior government officials and dignitaries. Most government residences are guarded by members of the division's Special Guard Unit. The division's all-volunteer Special Task Force handles hostage situations and other high-risk activities. The Internal Stability Division is responsible for preventing and quelling internal unrest, and for assisting other divisions in combating crime. The Community Relations Division consults with all police divisions concerning accountability and respect for human rights. The Supporting Services Division manages financial, legal, and administrative aspects of the SAPS. The Human Resource Management Division helps to hire, to train, and to maintain a competent work force for the SAPS.
The Annual Report of the South African Police Service (SAPS) for the period 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008, was published on 29 August 2008.[6] In terms of this report, the structure of the SAPS, looks quite different than in 1996.
The National Commissioner is assisted by five Deputy National Commissioners (DNC):
The current ranking system of the SAPS was adopted on 1 April 2010.[7] The change caused some controversy as the new ranks like "general" and "colonel" have a military connotation. Furthermore the new rank system mirrors the system used by the South African Police during the apartheid era. In 2009, Deputy Minister of Police Fikile Mbalula spoke of making the police a paramilitary force by changing the SAPS ranking system so that it would closely mirror the military ranking system. This created a significant amount of controversy from people critical of what they called the 'militarisation' of the police.[8][9]
The South African Police Service operate a fleet of 51 airplanes and helicopters.
Airplanes
Helicopters
On 10 September 2007 a warrant of arrest was issued by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for National Police Commissioner (served as Interpol President from 2004 until 12 January 2008 when he resigned voluntarily) Jackie Selebi. On 23 September 2007 President Mbeki suspended NPA Head Vusi Pikoli, allegedly because of "an irretrievable breakdown” in the relationship between Pikoli and Justice Minister Brigitte Mabandla. However, journalists at the Mail and Guardian claim to have solid information supporting the widespread suspicion that President Mbeki suspended Pikoli as part of a bid to shield Police Commissioner Selebi.[10] According to the Mail and Guardian at 5 October 2007 the NPA is investigating Selebi for corruption, fraud, racketeering and defeating the ends of justice.[10] Selebi was found guilty of corruption on 2 July 2010, but not guilty of further charges of perverting the course of justice.[11]
In February 2011 Bheki Cele was implicated in unlawful conduct and maladministration with a R500m lease agreement for the new police headquarters in Pretoria.[12]
Amnesty International has expressed concerns about police brutality, including torture and extrajudicial killings, in South Africa.[13][14] There has also been concern about brutal training methods for the police.[15]
A number of community organisations and social movements have accused the SAPS of acting against them with illegality and brutality.[16][17][18][19] Independent studies have confirmed that the SAPS has been used to repress peaceful marches and freedom of association.[20]
In 27 April 2009, SAPS attempted to ban a well-known event among the social movements called unFreedom Day[21] and was implicated in support for September 2009 ANC mob that attacked the elected leadership of the shack settlement at Kennedy Road, Durban.[22][23][24]
SAPS has also been implicated in draconian policing measures. Numerous accusations come from the infamous Blikkiesdorp Temporary Relocation Area in Delft, Cape Town where police have been accused of suppression of freedoms and illegal curfews.[25][26][27]
A number of unarmed protestors have been killed by the South African Police since 2000. The following list is not complete:
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Library of Congress Country Studies.
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