Latest news with #AthlendaMathe
eNCA
5 days ago
- eNCA
SAPS flagged with over 900,000 job applications but only 5,500 will be hired
JOHANNESBURG - As South Africa grapples with a worsening unemployment crisis, the South African Police Service (SAPS) has been flooded with over 900,000 applications. These applications are just for 5,500 police trainee posts targeting young men and women aged 18 to 35. This influx of applications highlights the desperation of thousands of unemployed youth seeking stable employment. With the application window set to close on 18 July, young women accounted for the majority of submissions. According to police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, 527,673 applications have come from females, while 400,204 have come from male applicants. The Bigger Picture Unemployment Deepens In June, the Department of Labour recently released new statistics showing that the youth unemployment rate is now at a shocking 46.1 % Many young people are not just looking for jobs; they are also trying to gain skills and knowledge for the careers they want to pursue. According to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey by Statistics South Africa for the first quarter of 2025: The number of unemployed youth increased by 151,000, reaching 4.8 million. Employed youth decreased by 153,000, now totalling 5.7 million. The youth unemployment rate went up from 44.6 % at the end of 2024 to 46.1 % in the first quarter of 2025. Looking at the overall labour market:
The Citizen
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Citizen
Controversial Brigadier not assigned to visible policing, but to Technical Unit
The police have refuted claims that a brigadier — allegedly currently out on bail for corruption charges and criticised for her lack of operational policing experience — was appointed to lead the Visible Policing (Vispol) unit in Pretoria's Moot district. In response to outrage over the appointment, national police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe clarified that the member was transferred to the Technology Management Service (TMS), where she will work in line with her qualifications, which include a National Diploma in Mechatronics Engineering and a BTech in Industrial Engineering. According to SAPS, she is not tasked with overseeing frontline policing operations but is filling a support role aligned with her expertise. 'The SAPS has lateral entry opportunities for individuals with specialised skills or expertise,' SAPS explained. 'These professionals are considered for positions that require specific skills other than policing, meaning policing won't be their core function because they are rendering a support function to the core mandate of SAPS. These professionals are employed based on their experience and qualifications, mainly in the support environments of the SAPS.' The police further pointed to several other examples of lateral appointments in the organisation: The Divisional Commissioner for Supply Chain Management, previously a chief director at National Treasury, joined SAPS in 2022. A 35‑year‑old Major General in the Hawks, who is a chartered accountant and certified fraud examiner, was appointed in 2021 from a parastatal and now heads forensic investigations. The SAPS CFO, with a BCom in accounting, joined at the rank of colonel 20 years ago. Lieutenant General (Dr) Bongiwe Zulu, now head of SAPS training, entered SAPS at colonel level at the age of 35 and holds two PhDs — in Education and in Criminology and Forensic Studies. This comes after the Democratic Alliance (DA) slammed the appointment as 'outrageous' and a clear example of nepotism, demanding it be reversed immediately to protect the integrity of the police service. 'We demand the immediate reversal of this indefensible decision and will use Parliament's accountability mechanisms to ensure full transparency about how such an appointment was made. 'This decision is nothing short of outrageous. The Brigadier in question was one of several senior Crime Intelligence members arrested just weeks ago on charges including fraud, corruption and abuse of SAPS secret service funds. SAPS management now claims this is a 'temporary transfer' under the Disciplinary Regulations, which allow for redeployment if a member's presence in their current post is untenable. But nothing in the regulations justifies failing to impose precautionary suspension, which exists specifically to protect investigations and institutional integrity in cases exactly like this.' Also read: Brigadier out on bail, no experience takes over key Pretoria policing job Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to [email protected] or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Citizen
Brigadier out on bail, no experience takes over key Pretoria policing job
Brigadier out on bail, no experience takes over key Pretoria policing job A brigadier who has never worn a police uniform, skipped every operational rank, and is allegedly currently out on bail for corruption charges has been appointed to lead visible policing in Pretoria's Moot district. This move has sparked outrage among officers, politicians, and the public, who are calling it a blatant example of nepotism and a blow to police integrity. The Democratic Alliance (SA) has slammed as 'outrageous' and a clear example of nepotism, demanding it be reversed immediately to protect the integrity of the police service. 'We demand the immediate reversal of this indefensible decision and will use Parliament's accountability mechanisms to ensure full transparency about how such an appointment was made. 'This decision is nothing short of outrageous. The Brigadier in question was one of several senior Crime Intelligence members arrested just weeks ago on charges including fraud, corruption and abuse of SAPS secret service funds. SAPS management now claims this is a 'temporary transfer' under the Disciplinary Regulations, which allow for redeployment if a member's presence in their current post is untenable. But nothing in the regulations justifies failing to impose precautionary suspension, which exists specifically to protect investigations and institutional integrity in cases exactly like this.' It furthermore said appointing an untrained, operationally inexperienced officer to oversee front-line visible policing undermines public safety, the credibility of SAPS and the morale of honest, hardworking police officers who have earned their rank through service and merit. 'It also places ordinary constables and sergeants under the command of someone unfamiliar with the realities and risks of policing on the ground. The DA said this case exposes serious flaws in internal vetting, accountability and decision-making at the highest levels of SAPS leadership. 'It demonstrates how political interference and weak discipline continue to erode the professional standing of the service and demoralise career officers.' The DA demands the following immediate actions: -The National Commissioner must reverse this transfer without delay. -The Brigadier in question must be placed on suspension in line with the SAPS Disciplinary Regulations pending the outcome of her criminal and internal disciplinary proceedings. In response to the backlash, the police defended the controversial appointment, stating that the organisation allows for lateral entry opportunities for individuals with specialised skills or expertise that do not necessarily come from a policing background. According to Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, these professionals are brought in to support — rather than lead — operational policing, and are selected based on their qualifications and experience. 'It is not unusual for police to appoint individuals from outside the service if they possess the specific skills or qualifications required for a particular position. These lateral entrants do not necessarily progress through the traditional ranks of the police but are given a short induction — typically three to four months of police training — before assuming their roles.' Mathe cited several examples of senior officials who entered the service laterally: the Divisional Commissioner for Supply Chain Management, who was a chief director at National Treasury before joining SAPS in 2022; a 35‑year‑old Major General in the Hawks, who is a chartered accountant and certified fraud examiner appointed in 2021; the CFO of SAPS, who holds a BCom accounting degree and joined at Colonel level 20 years ago; and Lieutenant General Bongiwe Zulu, now head of SAPS Training, who entered at Colonel level at age 35 and holds two PhDs. In the case of the brigadier at the centre of the controversy, SAPS confirmed that she is currently employed in the Technical Management Services (TMS) division because she holds a technical qualification, which the organisation deemed valuable in that support environment. Mathe could not confirm the current cases against the brigadier. Also read: WhatsApp will STOP working on these phones – is your device on the list? Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to [email protected] or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
6 days ago
- The Citizen
Police applications surpass 900K, less than 1% will get the job
Female candidates dominated the police application process. The South African Police Service (Saps) has received over 900 000 applications for its Basic Police Development Learning Programme, but only 0,611% will get the job. The submission window will close on Friday at midnight. Applicants will no longer be able to submit their applications after this deadline. 'As of Thursday, 17 July 2025, the Saps has received more than 927 000 applications thus far,' confirmed police spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe. Women lead police trainee application numbers Female candidates have dominated the application process. Mathe revealed that 527 673 young women have submitted their applications so far. Male applicants total 400 204 applications. This gender split shows that women comprise more than half of all prospective trainees. The police service is seeking applicants 'from all races and genders, i.e. from young, energetic, intelligent, physically and mentally fit individuals, dedicated to serving their country by pursuing a career in policing,' according to the official recruitment notice. The position, formally titled Police Trainee with reference number TRAINEE2025/2026, falls under the Saps Act, 1995 (Act No 68 of 1995). This recruitment drive represents a significant opportunity for individuals looking to begin their careers in law enforcement while contributing to public safety and security across South Africa. The recruitment offers a structured compensation package that evolves with training phases. During the institution phase, which involves 'basic training in the academies,' successful applicants will receive a monthly stipend of R4 500. Upon completion of academy training and progression to the probation phase, officers will earn a salary notch of R238 629 per annum. Saps emphasised that 'appointees will receive the applicable service benefits from probation phase,' indicating additional benefits beyond the base salary once training is completed. ALSO READ: More than 2 600 wanted criminals linked to violent crimes arrested in South Africa Educational requirements and specialised placement The recruitment sets specific educational standards for applicants. Saps stated that candidates in possession of a three-year National Diploma or Degree recorded on the National Learner Record Database (NLRD) on at least: A NQF 6 or higher level in Law Policing Criminology Law Enforcement Forensic Investigation IT, would be considered first. According to Saps, those meeting these qualifications will be considered for placement in the following units: Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) Detective and Forensic Service Crime Intelligence (CI) Interested candidates must submit applications through the official Saps website using the designated careers portal. The service warned that 'applicants should take note that they are limited to one application, the system is restricted and will only accept one application.' Gauteng tops provincial applications 'The Gauteng province has brought in the most applications with more than 240 000, followed by KZN with more than 179 000,' Mathe stated. Limpopo came in third with more than 102 000 prospective candidates. The Eastern Cape contributed over 93 000 applications. Mpumalanga followed with more than 89 000. The Western Cape sat in sixth position with over 76 000 applications. Meanwhile, the Free State recorded more than 64 000 submissions. 'The North West province is the second last province with more than 57 000, with Northern Cape bringing in the least applications as compared to other provinces with more than 22 000,' Mathe noted. '261 255 applicants are thus far in possession of a valid South African driver's license,' Mathe said. ALSO READ: JUST IN: Another mass shooting at informal settlement in Cape Town Police applications selection process challenges Saps faces the challenge of accommodating only a tiny fraction of trainees in the available programme spaces. 'It should be noted that not everyone will make it to the selection process due to limited space availability on the training Programme, with only 5 500 spaces available,' Mathe explained. Successful candidates will undergo comprehensive evaluations before acceptance. 'Those who are successful will be called to go through various assessments, including a psychometric and integrity assessment, physical assessment, medical assessment and an interview,' she explained. 'The Saps wishes all applicants the best in this process,' Mathe noted. The police service has acknowledged the competitive nature of the selection process as the recruitment phase draws to a close. READ NEXT: Illegal mining and dolomite threaten Joburg's foundations
The Herald
6 days ago
- The Herald
Number of SAPS trainee applications for 5,500 posts top 900,000
As the closing date approaches, the number of police trainee applications has surpassed 900,000. The SA Police Service (SAPS) has confirmed that its Basic Police Development Learning Programme (BPDLP) application window will close in less than 24 hours. After the deadline, no further applications will be accepted. The SAPS received more than 67,774 applications within the first 24 hours of opening the application window. Police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe said by Thursday, they had received more than 927,000 applications. She said female applicants continue to lead in terms of numbers, with 527,673 young women having submitted applications so far. Male applicants have submitted 400,204 applications thus far. 'Gauteng has brought in the most number of applications with more than 240,000, followed by KZN with more than 179,000. Limpopo is sitting at more than 102,000, with the Eastern Cape at more than 93,000 and Mpumalanga at more than 89,000. The Western Cape is sitting at number six in terms of the most applications received with more than 76,000, followed by the Free State with more than 64,000. North West is second last with more than 57,000 applications and the Northern Cape with more than 22,000 bringing in the least number of applications ,' Mathe said. She said 261,255 applicants have valid drivers' licences. 'It should be noted that not everyone will make it to the selection process due to limited space availability on the training programme with only 5,500 spaces available,' she said. She said successful candidates would be called to undergo various assessments, including psychometric and integrity, physical and medical evaluations and interviews. TimesLIVE
