Cape Town – The South African Police Service (SAPS) has recorded more than 300,000 profile registrations in just over three days as thousands of applicants compete for 5,500 police trainee posts.
The online recruitment drive opened on 21 October 2026, with 172,721 applications completed and submitted by prospective recruits, according to the police service.
“The South African Police Service (SAPS) continues to receive an encouraging response to its online recruitment drive, with more than 300 000 profile registrations recorded in just over three days as thousands of young South Africans seize the opportunity to pursue a career in policing,” the SAPS said in a statement.
Of the registrations recorded, more than 232,000 applicants had completed profile verification, while over 190,000 had started their applications.
Gauteng recorded the highest number of submitted applications at 49,518, followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 33,661 and the Eastern Cape with 17,441.
Limpopo recorded 16,251 applications, closely followed by the Western Cape with 16,249. Mpumalanga had 14,900 applications, the Free State 11,345, North West 9,179 and the Northern Cape 4,177.
Female applicants accounted for more than 95,000 submissions, compared with over 76,000 from male applicants.
The SAPS said the high volume of traffic on its eRecruitment portal could cause delays for people attempting to register or submit applications.
“The portal remains operational. The SAPS Technology Management Services (TMS) division, together with its technology partners, is working around the clock to manage the increased demand and ensure the continued functioning of the system,” the statement said.
The police service assured applicants who had successfully submitted their applications that their submissions remained valid and that no further action was required.
Acknowledgement
It urged prospective recruits to remain patient when accessing the portal and avoid repeatedly attempting to register or submit applications, warning that doing so could put additional pressure on the system.
“Only applicants who have not received an acknowledgement email should consider reapplying,” the SAPS said.
Applicants were also encouraged to apply outside peak hours, where possible, and to rely exclusively on official SAPS communication channels for recruitment information and updates.
The recruitment drive closes on Friday, 13 November 2026, and prospective applicants have been encouraged to complete and submit their applications before the deadline.
Applications can be submitted through the official SAPS eRecruitment portal at https://erecruitment.saps.gov.za.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
