The South African Police Services (SAPS) spends nearly R1 billion (R978 million) per year on salaries for major generals and brigadiers.<\/p>\n
This information was revealed in a reply to a Democratic Alliance (DA) parliamentary question this week.<\/p>\n
“It is staggering that R1 billion is being spent on top management at a time when there is a critical shortage of front line police officers at ground level to do the actual work of fighting and investigating crime,” said Andrew Whitfield, DA shadow minister of police.<\/p>\n
“Whilst these top cops were drawing their millions, crime continued to spiral out of control and 76% of police stations across the country did not have a single rape kit in stock.”<\/p>\n
SAPS\u2019 priorities are evidently skewed, he continued. “It is ludicrous that SAPS\u2019 top-heavy structure have been allowed to collects an average annual salary of R1.5 million, in light of the severely under-capacitated and under-resourced police service.”<\/p>\n
This average annual salary of R1.5 million, stands in stark contrast with the average annual salaries of front line officers, which varies between R54,000 for a trainee constable, R243,260 for a constable, R300,026 for a sergeant and R391,007 for a warrant-officer, the DA said.<\/p>\n
The police\u2019s top management consists of over 170 major generals and 654 brigadiers “who, judging by the latest crime stats, do very little in combating crime,” Whitfield said.<\/p>\n
According to the National Police Commissioner, general Kehla Sithole, SAPS is 64,000 police officers short of meeting the United Nations police to citizen ratio of 1:220. In South Africa the ratio is 1:380. “The lack of visible policing has had a significant impact on safety and security and in preventing violent crimes,” Whitfield said.<\/p>\n
He called on the SAPS to reduce its top heavy structure and redirect funding to the frontlines of policing.<\/p>\n