Cyril Ramaphosa calls for SAPS renewal at national commemoration

President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for the renewal of the South African Police Service (SAPS) during the National Commemoration Day at the Union Buildings in Pretoria. The ceremony honored 12 police officers who died in the line of duty between April 2025 and March 2026. The fallen officers included nine from Gauteng and one each from North West, KwaZulu-Natal, and Mpumalanga.

Ramaphosa described the killing of police officers as an attack on state authority and emphasized the need for better systems, leadership, and resources to ensure officer safety. He noted that the deaths have left many families permanently changed, including several husbands and fathers of young children.

Acting Police Commissioner Puleng Dimpane reported that the investigation into these deaths has led to the arrest of over 20 suspects, with 11 resulting in convictions. Dimpane highlighted Gauteng as a particularly problematic province regarding high levels of crime and called for revised strategies to address criminality.