More than 150,000 people registered for just 5,500 South African Police Service trainee posts in less than 24 hours after the latest recruitment drive opened.
According to TimesLIVE, SAPS recorded 156,131 registrations for the nationwide 2026/27 intake. Of those, only 29,013 people had fully completed and submitted their applications at the time of reporting.
The official SAPS eRecruitment portal confirms that 5,500 trainee positions are available nationally under reference TRA26/27, with applications closing on 13 November 2026.
Thousands Still Completing Applications
TimesLIVE reports that 78,473 registered users completed the profile verification process.
A further 53,716 had started their applications, while 29,013 had reached the final submission stage. SAPS urged applicants to remain patient because of heavy traffic on the online recruitment system.
The official SAPS recruitment guide says applicants must create an account, verify it using an emailed one-time pin, complete their personal and qualification details, upload supporting documents and submit the application online.
Applicants Face Strict Screening
According to TimesLIVE, applicants must be South African citizens aged between 18 and 35 and meet the required educational and suitability criteria.
SAPS says candidates will undergo fitness, psychometric and integrity testing, medical evaluation and interviews. Qualifications, citizenship, residential information and other details will also be verified.
Preference may be given to candidates with valid driver’s licences and relevant tertiary qualifications at NQF Level 6 or higher.
SAPS Warns Applicants About Scams
Successful trainees will receive a monthly stipend of R5,000 during training, according to TimesLIVE.
SAPS has repeatedly warned jobseekers about bogus recruitment advertisements and says applicants should use only its official channels.
The police service’s own strategic plan says new entry-level trainees remain an important source of staffing as SAPS works to maintain personnel numbers and replace officers lost through natural attrition.