SAPS have lost over 10,000 detectives in just under a decade

JOHANNESBURG - In just under a decade, police have lost more than 10,000 detectives who have left the force for the private sector or resigned.

The current number of detectives within the South African Police Service (SAPS) stands at just over 16,000, down from about 27,000 some nine years ago.

Deputy National Police Commissioner responsible for crime detection in the country, Shadrack Sibiya, says they’ve had to adjust how they investigate cases amid the dwindling numbers.

Detectives within SAPS are having to handle a heavy caseload when it comes to dockets.

Sibiya says the majority of detectives are lost to the private sector.

“Any other person who wants to employ detectives, they can only come and draw from the pool from the police. So we are the feeder for everybody.”

He says this drawback of capacity has made them rethink their investigation strategy.

“When I was with the Scorpions, I did what we call 'lean thinking'. How to be able to achieve more with less. The fact that you need 100 boots on the ground, whereas in fact that with 30, you can actually achieve the results.”

Sibiya says middle management with the detective system is an area of focus.