MEDIA STATEMENT BY THE NATIONAL COMMISSIONER OF THE SA POLICE, COMMISSIONER GEORGE FIVAZ, ON THE LIFTING OF SAPS RECRUITMENT MORATORIUM, 23 May 1997
The lifting of the moratorium on SAPS recruitment by Minister Sydney Mufamadi is to be warmly welcomed as it represents the end of past recruitment practices which even now still plague SAPS.
The SAPS now has a golden opportunity to rejuvenate itself with an injection of talent and skills from the community - and give the policing transformation process a major boost.
Fundamentally, transformation is aimed directly at improving effeciency and skills within SAPS and at improving its professional standing within the community and internationally.
In short, the SAPS will now only be taking the best available talent and skills for training as police officials and civilian employees.
Entry requirements will be far higher than in the past.
Although not of its own making, the SAPS has learnt the lesson of certain ill-considered "quick-fix" recruitment campaigns of the past - such as the "kitskonstabel" debacle.
The new SAPS is even today still grappling with the effects and complications of such past recruitment practices.
Lifting of the moratorium gives a "fresh start" scenario as recruitment will now take place within the focused context of required skills and the needs of policing priorities and objectives.
The lifting of the moratorium and the implementation of focused recruitment requirements will have a profound influence on the face of policing for the remainder of this century and into the next.
I will in due course be making announcements on the practical implementation of the new SAPS recruitment process.
Inquiries: Senior Superintendent Sally de Beer: 082 808 3735. Or Supt Leah Shibambo: 082 800 8070
Issued by: SA Communication Service on behalf of the National Commissioner of the South African Police Service