Mbalula calls on white people to become cops

Pretoria - Police Minister Fikile Mbalula has called on white people to join the police force, saying they too have a responsibility to serve and protect South Africa.

Mbalula was speaking at the passing-out parade at the Tshwane Police Academy where thousands of police graduated.

“Out of 3499 new recruits only 12 are white. That is seriously alarming. South Africa is your home too,” he said.

He said the demographics in the police sphere leave a lot to be desired.

In the same breath Mbalula commended the number of female recruits. Out of 3499 there are 935 female recruits, the highest in a while. “I believe in women and I’m very grateful to see so many women in the ranks of the police,” he said.

Also attending the ceremony was the National Commissioner General Khehla Sitole who congratulated the newly trained officers and encouraged them to implement their skills and knowledge at the various police stations nationwide.

My address at the Police Passing parade. Over 3000 police officers ready to serve. https://t.co/1ZqRKo9efQ

— RSA Minister of Police (@MbalulaFikile) December 22, 2017

“Members on parade, you will need to continuously learn and apply what you have been taught, in an endless process of improving your policing skills.  In your career as a police officer, remember that your focus should always be the citizens of this country, the people you have to serve and protect,” he said.

Passing-out parades were also simultaneously held at Saps Bhisho Academy in the Eastern Cape and Saps Bishop Lavis in the Western Cape.

The police trainees who stood on parade are the second intake to graduate from the revised Basic Police Training Learning Programme which was introduced in 2016.

The revised programme comprises an induction phase of one month, which is intended to familiarise trainees with the police station environment and the overall basic activities of the community service centres.

sakhile.ndlazi@inl.co.za