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SAPS have been around for 100 years, and we know we can always rely on our men and women in blue to protect us from crime and danger! 

SAPS is the Republic of South Africa‘s national police force. They have 1,154 police stations divided according to the provincial borders. Each is run by a Provincial Commissioner who reports directly to the National Commissioner. The SAPS head office is situated in the Wachthuis Building in Pretoria.

SAPS and Law Enforcement are two different organisations. Both are dedicated to keeping us safe from criminals, though. 

The South African Police Service headquarters in Pretoria consists of six divisions: 

• Crime Combating and Investigation Division, 
• Visible Policing Division, 
• Internal Stability Division, 
• Community Relations Division, 
• Supporting Services Division, 
• Human Resource Management Division. 

The Constitution of South Africa says that SAPS is responsible for preventing, combating, and investigating crime.

In addition, they must maintain public order and protect and secure the inhabitants of the Republic and their property.

SAPS upholds and enforces the law, and creates a safe and secure environment for all people in South Africa. They prevent anything that may threaten the safety or security of any community, investigate any crimes that threaten the safety or security of any community, and ensure criminals are brought to justice. 

If you need police assistance, you can use the iER app to send an alert to our 24/7 call centre, which will send armed forces to your location to ensure your safety. 

Rebuild and Strengthen Community Relations

In improving community relations and working on restoring trust through rebuilding the organisation and enhancing its image, The Minister of police, Bheki Cele aims to regain the confidence of the communities SAPS serves because, to fight crime effectively, SAPS needs the full backing of well-functioning Community Policing Forums, the business sector, and the communities. 

These strengthened ties are needed to create a climate where there are:

• Open communication channels between SAPS and their communities
• SAPS improve its transparency and accountability
• Joint problem identification and problem-solving to reduce crime. 

To fight crime, communities and SAPS need to work together. iER provides a direct link between community members and SAPS during emergencies.

Establishing Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Desks

According to SAnews.gov.za, there are GBV desks at 1156 police stations in the country. These are staffed by some of the 91 489 SAPS members who have been trained in victim empowerment, domestic violence, and sexual offences-related programmes.

Victim-centred service is vital because the successful prosecution of perpetrators of gender-based violent crimes begins at the police station level, effectively gathering and protecting well-documented evidence.

Crime Hotspots In SA

Failure to serve communities begins at the police station level. SAPS want to avoid victims enduring secondary-victimisation when they come in to report a crime. 

The 30 top crime hotspot stations, of which 26 are in the Western Cape, are the first to implement these plans, which the station commanders steer. 

The commanders are expected to:

• Work weekends and ensure visible policing during this peak weekend crime time.
• They have to monitor and implement operational strategies for their particular crime situations. These strategies must be evaluated and updated every two weeks to suit the situation. 
• They have to know their staff and their health and welfare situations. Effective policing should start from the bottom up in suitable working environments. 
• Ensure that the station is managed well and functions well and that all tools of the trade are fully accounted for and properly maintained. These include ensuring that police vans are maintained and operational, not rendered inactive and suck in service stations. 

The Guardian Programme

National-level managers are deployed to the top 30 crime hotspot police stations where they can oversee crime eradication and reduction targets, ensuring these are met within designated timeframes.  

Eradicating Organised Crime

Police Minister Bheki Cele has committed to fighting transnational organised crime syndicates within member states of the Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Co-operation Organisation (SARPCCO). The aim is greater cooperation across borders and with Interpol. 

iER Has Joined Forced With SAPS To Keep You Safe

SAPS supports iER’s commitment to faster responses to crime. iER is collaborating with SAPS to explore modern crime-fighting initiatives.

iER’s centralised call centre is one of South Africa’s most comprehensive emergency response call centres, and is available 24/7 to ensure your safety. The call centre is able to connect you with your nearest SAPS branch during an emergency, as well as connect you with other emergency services you may require.

iER forms part of the Eyes and Ears Initiative, joining forces with SAPS, The Private Security Sector, and Business Against Crime South Africa.

 At iER, we aim to use this partnership to strengthen our capacity to provide efficient emergency response. Together, we are all working towards fighting crime in South Africa.