Question NW297 to the Minister of Police
14 August 2019 - NW297
Whitfield, Mr AG to ask the Minister of Police
(a) What number of (i) SA Police Service (SAPS) reservists are there in each province for each cluster and (ii) applications to become an SAPS reservist were received in the past five financial years, (b) how long does it take, on average, from the time that an application to become a police reservist is received until an applicant becomes a reservist and (c) what (i) practical steps is the SAPS taking to boost dwindling reservist numbers and (ii) number of SAPS reservists are currently in training in each province?
Reply:
(a)(i) On 30 June 2019, the number of reservists in each province, per cluster in the South African Police Service (SAPS), was as follows:
Beaufort West Cluster 18
Tygerberg Cluster 51
Cape Town Cluster 57
Da Gamaskop Cluster 57
Blue Downs Cluster 46
Eden Cluster 52
Overberg Cluster 51
Khayelitsha Cluster 72
Milnerton Cluster 44
Mitchells Plain Cluster 96
Nyanga Cluster 65
Winelands Cluster 36
Vredenburg Cluster 32
Vredendal Cluster 25
Worcester Cluster 101
Wynberg Cluster 64
Eastern Cape Clusters Total: 981
Alice Cluster 35
Aliwal North Cluster 63
Butteiworth Cluster 41
Cofimvaba Cluster 6
Cradock Cluster 20
East London Cluster 40
Elliot Cluster 5
Graaff-Reinet Cluster 27
Grahamstown Cluster 16
Humansdorp Cluster 34
King Williams Town 76
Mdantsane Cluster 92
Motheiwell Cluster 69
Mount Ayliff Cluster 74
Mount Fletcher Cluster 34
Mount Road Cluster 59
Mthatha Cluster 95
Port Alfred Cluster 8
Port St Johns Cluster 12
Queenstown Cluster 44
Uitenhage Cluster 131
Northern Cape Clusters Total: 577
Pixley Ka Seme Cluster 174
Frances Baard Cluster 132
John Taolo Gaetsewe 78
Namakwa Cluster 79
Zf Mgcawu Cluster 114
Free State Clusters Total: 530
Bethlehem Cluster 47
Ficksburg Cluster 25
Kroonstad Cluster 13
Mangaung Cluster 63
Park Road Cluster 14
Phuthaditjhaba Cluster 52
Zamdela Cluster 57
Selosesha Cluster 111
Smithfield Cluster 46
Thabong Cluster 38
Trompsburg Cluster 24
Welkom Cluster 40
KwaZulu-Natal Clusters Total: 831
Ethekwini Inner South Cluster 89
Umzinyathi Cluster 11
Ethekwini Central 33
King Cetshwayo Cluster 48
Umgungundlovo North 29
Ethekwini Inner North 85
Harry Gwala Cluster 48
llembe Cluster 43
Umkhanyakude Cluster 32
Uthukela Cluster 23
Amajuba Cluster 55
Ethekwini Outer North 51
Umgungundlovo South 55
Ethekwini Inner - Outer 47
Ugu Cluster 88
Zululand Cluster 60
Ethekwini Outer South 34
North West Clusters Total: 749
Brits Cluster Commander 129
Klerksdorp Cluster 168
Mahikeng Cluster 145
Pudimoe Cluster 91
Rustenburg Cluster 60
Vryburg Cluster 73
Zeerust Cluster 83
Mpumalanga Clusters Total: 976
Acornhoek Cluster 220
Ermelo Cluster 127
Pienaar Cluster 97
Kwamhlanga Cluster 83
Lydenburg Cluster 1
Middelburg Cluster 69
Piet Retief Cluster 36
Secunda Cluster 79
Standerton Cluster 80
Tonga Cluster 102
Witbank Cluster 82
Limpopo Clusters Total: 1179
Bela Bela Cluster 22
Groblersdal Cluster 73
Lebowakgomo Cluster 316
Lephalale Cluster 31
Giyani Cluster 128
Mahwelereng Cluster 57
Makhado Cluster 92
Modimolle Cluster 20
Polokwane Cluster 2
Seshego Cluster 62
Thohoyandou Cluster 192
Tzaneen Cluster 71
Burgersfort Cluster 57
Mankweng Cluster Commander 56
Gauteng Clusters Total: 2278
Johannesburg North Cluster 113
Ekurhuleni Central 132
Tshwane North Cluster 214
Johannesburg East Cluster 99
Johannesburg West Cluster 141
Johannesburg Central Cluster 126
Ekurhuleni West Cluster 158
West Rand Cluster 151
Tshwane East Cluster 77
Soweto West Cluster, 231
Soweto East Cluster 126
Tshwane West Cluster 166
Sedibeng Cluster 231
Ekurhuleni East Cluster 89
Tshwane Central Cluster 72
Ekurhuleni North Cluster 152
(a)(ii) Since the lifting of the moratorium on the recruitment and selection of reservists, in 2016, the recruitment of reservists is a continuous process and up to date, a total of 11 293 applications have been received.
(b) It takes an average of 30 months, from the time that an application is received, until a person is appointed as a reservist. The recruitment and selection process takes an average of six months and the training takes an average of 24 months.
(c)(i) The SAPS lifted the 2009 moratorium on the recruitment of reservists and since 2016, the recruitment and selection of reservists is an ongoing process in order to ensure that the numbers of reservists are continuously increased.
The SAPS has also relaxed some of the appointment requirements, in terms of National Instruction, 3 of 2014, to ensure that the scope is widened to attract a larger pool of candidates. The recruitment drive, for the 2019/2020 financial year, will be announced shortly.
( c )(ii) The number of SAPS reservists, who are currently in training in each province, is as follows:
Eastern Cape 199
Free State 164
Gauteng 370
KwaZulu-Natal 427
Limpopo 234
Mpumalanga 158
North West 109
Northern Cape 74
Western Cape 123
Total: 1 858
Reply to question 297 recommended
GENERAL
NATIONAL COMMISSIONER: SOUTH AFRICAN POLICE SERVICE
KJ SITOLE, SOEG
Date: 2019-08-07
Reply to question 297 approved/not approved
GENERAL BH CELE (MP)
MINISTER OF POLICE
Date: 2019-08-13