IOL News reports that in a decisive move to address long-standing promotion backlogs, the SA Police Service (SAPS) has promoted 9,548 officers to higher ranks.
The promotions, effective from 1 December 2025, target officers who have spent ten years or more in their current rank, spanning constables, sergeants, warrant officers, and other key personnel. This strategic initiative forms part of the SAPS’s Human Capital Strategy, designed to retain critical skills, nurture leadership talent, and strengthen service delivery. The breakdown of the promotions is as follows: 4,605 constables were elevated to sergeant; 3,989 sergeants to warrant officer; and 954 warrant officers got promotions to higher salary notches. Among the beneficiaries are crime intelligence operatives, detectives, uniformed officers, and support staff, reflecting a cross-section of the police workforce.
In a statement, National Commissioner General Fannie Masemola said the promotions were a deliberate effort to retain and develop internal talent. He emphasised the broader impact on morale and performance. The SAPS has faced criticism in recent years over delays in promoting skilled officers to higher ranks, creating a backlog that affected morale and leadership pipelines. Meanwhile, the SAPS process to select 5,500 police trainees is still underway, with thousands of applicants still undergoing the first step, namely the psychometric and integrity testing assessments.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Kamogelo Moichela at IOL News
- Read too, Thousands of police officers climb ranks in SAPS promotion drive, at The Citizen
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