President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged the ten thousand newly recruited police constables to accept the challenge of combating crime, respecting the law, and keeping South Africa secure and peaceful.
The President made the announcement on Tuesday at the Tshwane SAPS [South African Police Service] Academy during the pass out parade of 2 938 freshly trained police personnel.
The group is comprised of 10,000 recruits who have just finished from the nine-month Basic Police Development Learning Programme (BPDLP).
“This is a job that demands commitment beyond the call of duty. It is a role that will test your resolve in fighting crime, upholding the law and making South Africa a safe and peaceful country. Safety and security affects so many other areas of life,” the President said.
He said safety and security are necessary for economic growth and social development, for better education and health outcomes, and for social cohesion.
“When crime is high, small businesses cannot thrive because they have to spend more resources on security, and it is difficult to persuade companies to invest here.
“Crime affects the safety, well-being and cohesion of our communities. It affects the delivery of services and the functioning of public institutions.”
He said that if the nation does not combat crime, it would be unable to construct a better society.
In his State of the Nation address delivered in February of this year, the President pledged to recruit and train 12,000 new police officers.
He called Tuesday’s graduation from the cohort a “milestone.”
Nine months of intense training were completed by the new constables at different police training academies around the nation and at SANDF [South African National Defense Force] facilities in the Northern Cape.
This is in addition to the 495 officers who graduated from the six-month training in September of this year.
“We applaud the SAPS for its recruitment strategy, which saw qualified forensic scientists, criminologists and policing science experts joining the service,” said President Ramaphosa.
He said the parade affirmed the trainees were 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. 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 said.
Police Minister Bheki Cele said the pass out was a culmination of a rigorous recruitment drive that began in April.
“This has been a ground-breaking milestone, given that the maximum 10 000 trainees were recruited and trained. Historically, one intake has never in the past exceeded 5 000, as this is what SAPS academies can accommodate.”
He stated that among the graduates were 195 constables stationed at the Umthata Academy who came in as graduates in various academic subjects such as Forensic Studies, Criminology, Law, and Policing, while the others came in as Police Reservists.
“They will be adding more boots on the ground to safeguard South Africa.
“These men and women in blue will also bolster our Safer Festive Season Operations that are currently underway nationwide.
Minister Cele said the trainees have also been equipped with critical skills required at Community Service Centres.
“Our CSCs [community service centres] at police stations are our most important point of contact between the police and our communities.
“Officers at these centres should provide victim-centred services, especially to women, children and the most vulnerable in society.”
According to him, the new Constables have also been taught in crime detection and in recognising the components of crime, obtaining statements, and conducting investigations across the board.