By Laney Van Wyk, Rhulani Mabasa, Siphesihle Mkhwanazi and Zamamiya Majola
On 23 August, the South African Police Services (SAPS) Provincial Office held a career guidance and recruitment programme to introduce youth employment opportunities. The event, held at a packed City Hall, invited youth from Makhanda, including those who have already applied for the current cadet training programme, which closes on 31 August 2023.
“For the three years starting from 2022, the [SAPS] will be marking 10,000 people each year to work [for]the SAPS,” said Lieutenant Colonel Vusumzi Madlingozi from the recruitment and staff recommendation office at the SAPS provincial office in Zwelitsha. The current applications opened on 6 August and closed on 31 August 2023 are for April 2024 enrollment, with 1000 cadets reporting to SAPS training colleges in January 2024.
According to Madlingozi, the SAPS programme aims to recruit successful candidates between the ages of 18 and 35 for training at one of the SAPS training colleges around South Africa for eight months and six months for those with a law qualification. During the course, the trainees will receive a R4500 monthly stipend.
SAPS looks to introduce various careers to “allow people with other skills to contribute to this service to be part of the SAPS,” said Colonel Siyabulela Babi. He added that SAPS offers many career streams, from the Arts to Science, to Law and the Humanities. The internships will soon open for graduates to gain industry experience with a stipend, he adds.
For recruits to succeed, applicants must undergo a psychometric and physical test to ensure that their physical and mental well-being is good. The psychometric officer, Captain Masibi, suggested that attendees read more in order for them to improve their vocabulary. She added that this ensures a sense of comfort with speaking, reading and writing in English.
Masibi also suggested that recruits learn how to stay calm in all situations, adding the need to be good listeners who take well to instructions. “When a person is given a task and doesn’t understand it, they are required to go through it again to understand it more,” she said. The test results will be valid after 24 months, and those who couldn’t make it can try again after six months, she added.
Fitness officer Lieutenant Colonel Vosloo said that for recruits to be successful applicants, they have to undergo a fitness test to ensure they are physically fit and healthy for them to join the SAPS. “You will be running more than you walk,” he said.
He spoke on the various physical assessments and medical examinations to qualify candidates for the police academy. Some factors could shorten the cadet training throughout the application and selection process, not allowing them to go through to the next level. For the fitness requirements, recruits need to pass three tests that will help them get their certificate to show that they have passed all tests they were assigned. These include checking for BMI, waist circumference, and a physical endurance test.
The cadet training application forms are available at the Makhanda police station; applications close on 31 August 2023. Young people are encouraged to seek more information from the police station.
