President Cyril Ramaphosa. File picture: Oupa Mokoena
PRETORIA - President Cyril Ramaphosa has charged the cohort of new constables joining the SAPS to wear the blue uniform with pride and dignity, abiding by the SAPS code of conduct and committing to serve the people.
As part of the SAPS ‘Project Ten Thousand’, at least 9,252 new trainees have successfully completed the required nine months of intensive training at various police training academies across the country and at the SA National Defence Force facilities in the Northern Cape.
This is in addition to the 495 constables who successfully completed the shorter six-month programme in September.
“We applaud the SAPS for its recruitment strategy, which saw qualified forensic scientists, criminologists and policing science experts joining the service,” said Ramaphosa as he officiated at the main ceremony in Pretoria.
He said 4,000 recruits are joining the Public Order Policing unit, which was highly criticised after the July 2021 civil unrest that left hundreds of people dead.
Some of the newly-qualified constables will be deployed to other specialised units within the SAPS, including the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences unit, to bolster their capacity to fight the scourge of gender-based violence and femicide.
Other constables will be deployed at front-line service delivery points at police stations in crime hot-spot areas.
“All of the new constables will be joining the safer festive season operations that are already under way. These operations will be important to combat violence against women and children and aggravated crime like robberies and car-jacking,” said Ramaphosa.
“These operations will include enhanced border security, enforcement of legislation and municipal by-laws and road safety enforcement.”
To the new constables gathered in Tshwane, Ramaphosa urged them to serve without fear or favour.
“This parade affirms that you are ready to join the SAPS to help eradicate crime, to serve and protect the people of South Africa and make them safe and secure. Wear this blue uniform with pride and dignity, abiding by the SAPS Code of Conduct and committed to the service of the people,” he said.
“As you commence with your workplace duties after today, it is important that you remain vigilant, agile and alert at all times. Take a firm stance against corruption or unethical conduct and against any actions that could erode the faith of the nation in our police service.”
He charged the constables to work with communities to address problems.
“You are as strong as the communities you are deployed to serve,” he said.
The event in Tshwane was attended by several dignitaries, including the Minister of Police, Bheki Cele, the chairperson of the portfolio committee on police, Tina Joemat-Pettersson, the Deputy Minister of Police, Cassel Mathale, the national commissioner of the SAPS, General Fannie Masemola, and instructors, commanders and personnel of the Tshwane Police Training Academy.