Durban — As the eThekwini metro police service finalises its recruitment of 200 law enforcement officers, it has been revealed that about 1 300 constables and warrant officers from the SAPS had applied.
Metro police acting head Sibonelo Mchunu told the Daily News that after sifting through 100 000 applications, the recruiting team discovered that there were 1 300 applications from the SAPS, adding that the number included constables and warrant officers.
Mchunu said he believed SAPS members were attracted by better working conditions in the metro force. He said besides good working conditions, perks in the metro police were far better than in the SAPS, adding that the salary entry level in the City force was R16 000, and with other benefits it shot up to R24 000 before deductions while the SAPS entry-level pay was around R10 000.
A SAPS warrant officer is believed to be earning around R20 000 while a constable’s salary was between R10 000 and R16 000.
“Our package is better than that of the SAPS which I believe is why we have received so many applications from the SAPS. Our working conditions are also better than theirs as our members work around the city unlike them in the SAPS where they are also expected to be deployed elsewhere in the country,” said Mchunu.
In last year’s recruitment, he said, six SAPS officers were recruited.
Mchunu stated they had started sifting and would call the successful applicants for psychometric and physical tests before sending them for training.
He added, for now, a driving licence was not necessary since the positions were for the lowest rank called law enforcement officers, adding driving licences would be required when they were taken on constable courses.
“For now we needed matric, physical fitness and psychometric tests, but we must emphasise that those with tattoos on their bodies were not needed,” said Mchunu.
The acting head said recruits would spend three years at the training centres going through various policing methods.
He said previously metro police training focused on traffic control, saying crime combating and by-laws enforcement had been added to the course which made it longer.
Mchunu said the new policing laws required all municipal police officers to also complete SAPS training which gave recruits from the SAPS an added advantage to be successful.
Meanwhile, more than 100 have also applied for the metro police head’s position which Mchunu was acting in after the retirement of Steve Middleton last Tuesday.
The newspaper was also reliably told that among the applicants was a SAPS brigadier based in Durban although according to the new act, an applicant must be a member of the metro police.
Short-listing for the position was expected to start soon.
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