How much money police officers earn in South Africa

The South African Police Service’s (SAPS) latest annual report for the full year 2023 shows that there are roughly 179,502 police officers in South Africa, earning an average salary of R450,000 per year or R37,500 per month.

The report shows that the department had a fixed establishment of 179,502 employees over the reporting period, an increase of 4,272 employees compared to the previous year.

This figure includes both active police officers and administrative staff, as follows:

• 20,547 commissioned officers;
• 123,896 non-commissioned officers;
• 34,226 Public Service Act employees.

The slight increase in employment figures effectively gives South Africa a police-to-population ratio of 1:417.

The generally accepted benchmark is one police officer to 450 people. However, this ratio has increased significantly over the last five years.

In 2014/15, the police-to-population ratio was one police member to 358 citizens (1:358).

It’s important to note that this figure relies heavily on individual countries’ crime levels; therefore, a one-size-fits-all approach may not be appropriate.

How much SAPS employees earn 

SAPS employees work across a range of sectors, including administration, visible policing, and crime intelligence. Salaries average R299,000 for the lowest skill level (1-2).

This rises to an average salary of R1,431,000 for senior management and executive employees (levels 13-16), while the average wage across all levels is R450,000 or R37,500 per month.

This means, on average, a SAPS member is paid over R10,000 more monthly than the average formally employed non-agricultural worker, which is R26,791 as of the first quarter of 2024.

However, some justify this considering the level of danger that comes with the job, especially in a country like South Africa, which is often ranked among the most dangerous countries in the world.

The tables below show the personnel costs by programme and salary bands.

The table below summarises, per salary band, expenditures incurred on salaries, overtime, homeowners allowance, and medical assistance.

It also indicates the percentage of the personnel budget used for these items.

Paid to stay

Despite the above-average pay, the SAPS have been faced with an exodus of its personnel, especially its elite task force members.

During a briefing in May on Operation Shanela’s successes, Police Minister Bheki Cele mentioned that approximately 58 members of the Special Task Force (STF) and National Intervention Unit (NIU) had recently resigned from the police force.

These resignations are part of the concerns raised by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi in December 2023.

He noted that elite service members resign almost daily and seek job opportunities in the private security sector.

To decrease attrition, SAPS has enhanced its members’ working conditions and remuneration.

From earning R4,000, STF and NIU members will now be entitled to R21,000 danger pay over and above their monthly salaries.

Considering the SAPS’s financial situation, the additional funding source for the increased pay has not yet been revealed.

However, the SAPS said in its annual report that the service had not been exempted from the National Treasury’s budget cuts on employee compensation, and its establishment was progressively decreasing annually.

The SAPS warned that this would have a significant negative impact on its ability to attract, recruit and retain the best personnel.

Read: Here’s how many private security guards there are in South Africa – and what they earn