Poorly trained police cost taxpayers nearly R2 billion

Poorly trained police officers cost South African taxpayers over R1.9 billion between the 2019/20 and 2023/24 financial years.

However, civilians have made claims against the South African Police Service (SAPS) amounting to significantly more for wrongful arrests, detentions, and shooting incidents.

These claims amounted to over R15 billion in the 2023/24 financial year alone.

This is according to the Minister of Police, who answered a parliamentary Q&A by Inkatha Freedom Party Member of Parliament (MP) Inkosi Cebekhulu.

It is unclear whether this was a response by former Minister Senzo Mchunu or Gwede Mantashe, who filled the role before Firoz Cachalia’s appointment after Mchunu was placed on gardening leave.

Whoever provided the answer told Cebekhulu that the police had received 15,067 claims for police misconduct involving the arrest and detention of individuals, amounting to R14.8 billion.

Of these claims, the state has paid out R445.4 million through court orders and R20.7 million through settlements, totalling over R466 million. However, this is only 3% of claims made against SAPS.

SAPS also received 180 claims regarding cases of misconduct relating to shooting incidents, which amounted to R742 million.

Similar to cases involving arrests and detention, less than 10% of these claims were paid out, with the state paying R57.8 million to claimants via court order and R4.6 million through settlements.

The Minister added that it is conducting several initiatives to prevent unlawful arrests made by SAPS, including establishing national and provincial steering committees on managing civil claims.

This would aim to change the mindset of SAPS employees regarding their “attitudes and behaviours” to prevent unlawful actions.

“The national steering committee has developed and is implementing an internal communication plan, which regularly sensitises members on the root causes of civil claims and the actions that are required to prevent them from occurring,” he said in his response.

The Minister added that his department has identified the issue of civil claims as a risk to his department, requiring that specific action be taken to mitigate this risk.

These include conducting regular workshops and training on legal prescripts and mandates to guide proactive and preventative measures.

R1.9 billion in five years

The state’s claims have increased by nearly R200 million since the 2019/2020 financial year, when it had to cough up R329.7 million for police misconduct.

The amount paid out in claims decreased to about R240 million the following year. However, this immediately increased in 2021/2022 to R346.2 million and R541.8 million by 2022/23.

Since 2019/2020, the country has paid R1.98 billion in taxpayer funds to compensate for police misconduct.

In May 2024, Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Andrew Whitfield pointed out that since 2018, the country had paid out an average of R1 million in claims every day.

“These figures not only show the shocking waste of taxpayer funds, meant for actual policing, but highlight a danger that as a result of a rot that has started at the top and worked its way down,” he said.

In addition to the list of police costs incurred, Mchunu recently revealed that 11 police members were suspended with full pay as of 16 May 2025.

This was in response to a question from Build One South Africa leader and MP Mmusi Maimane. The total cost of the officers’ suspensions up until that point was R5.02 million.

Most of this, R3.44 million, was paid to a Lieutenant General who had been suspended with full pay since 8 July 2022, nearly three years by that point.

Another Lieutenant General had cost the South African taxpayer R1.14 million since they were suspended on 14 June 2024.

The remaining nine SAPS members, comprising Colonels and Sergeants, had all been suspended in 2025 and had earned no more than R57,000.

Curiously, when Mchunu reported the figures, several had been suspended for just over a month and had already earned over R45,000 in pay.