South African Police Service receives 156,000 applications for 5,500 trainee posts

The South African Police Service (SAPS) has seen an overwhelming response to its 2026/2027 online recruitment drive. Within less than 24 hours of the portal opening on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, the service recorded 156,131 profile registrations nationwide for 5,500 available police trainee positions.

Of the total registrations, 78,473 individuals completed the profile verification process, 53,716 initiated applications, and 29,013 successfully submitted their applications through the online portal. The recruitment drive is open to South African citizens under the age of 35, regardless of race or gender, provided they meet the necessary requirements and have no criminal record or pending cases.

Due to high traffic volumes on the eRecruitment portal, SAPS has urged prospective applicants to exercise patience. The application window remains open until November 13, 2026.