GAUTENG. – The South African Police Service (SAPS) has already received 172 721 completed applications for 5 500 available posts for police recruits, after more than 300 000 people registered profiles on the online recruitment portal in just over three days. The recruitment campaign began on 21 October and closes on Friday 13 November 2026. Prospective applicants must be South African citizens aged between 18 and 35 years old, possess a grade 12 certificate or equivalent qualification and be proficient in at least English and one other official language.
Col. Amanda van Wyk, national police spokesperson, says more than 232 000 applicants have verified their profiles and more than 190 000 have begun their applications. Of the applications already submitted, more than 95 000 are from women and more than 76 000 from men. Gauteng has received the most applications nationwide, with 49 518 completed and submitted applications, followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 33 661 and the Eastern Cape with 17 441.
Candidates must be physically, medically and mentally fit, undergo psychological and integrity tests and must have no previous criminal convictions or pending criminal cases. They must also be willing to undergo security vetting, provide fingerprints and a cheek swab for verification and can be posted anywhere in South Africa. Visible tattoo marks when wearing the SAPS uniform are not permitted.
Preference will be given to applicants with a valid driver's licence for at least a light motor vehicle and relevant tertiary qualifications at NQF level six or higher, including in criminal law, policing, forensic investigation, information technology, computer science, natural sciences and accounting sciences.
The SAPS warns that high traffic on the online portal may cause delays, but confirms that the system continues to operate. Applicants who have already received a confirmation email need not do anything further. Those who have not received such an email may consider reapplying.
Applications are free and must be submitted through the official SAPS recruitment portal online.
This article is an automatic English translation of a Nuusflits article originally published in Afrikaans. Read the Afrikaans original.
