SAPS jobs: More women than men apply as Gauteng leads the way

The South African Police Service (SAPS) has received more than 300 000 profile registrations as thousands of young South Africans apply for one of 5 500 available police trainee posts.

The online recruitment portal opened on Wednesday, 21 October, recording 156 131 profile registrations nationwide in less than 24 hours.

The latest available data shows that more than 232 000 applicants had completed profile verification, while over 190 000 had started their applications.

A total of 172 721 applications had been completed and submitted for the available positions.

Gauteng leads SAPS applications

Gauteng has recorded the highest number of submitted applications, with 49 518, followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 33 661 and the Eastern Cape with 17 441.

The provincial breakdown is as follows:

• Gauteng: 49 518
• KwaZulu-Natal: 33 661
• Eastern Cape: 17 441
• Limpopo: 16 251
• Western Cape: 16 249
• Mpumalanga: 14 900
• Free State: 11 345
• North West: 9 179
• Northern Cape: 4 177

Female applicants have submitted more than 95 000 applications, compared with over 76 000 from male applicants.

According to the figures released by SAPS, applications by racial group include 160 000 from African applicants, 11 000 from Coloured applicants, 600 from Indian applicants and 150 from White applicants.

SAPS warns of possible recruitment portal delays

The high volume of applications has placed increased demand on the online recruitment system, with SAPS warning that some prospective applicants may experience delays or slower response times.

“The high volume of traffic on the eRecruitment portal may result in delays or slower response times for applicants attempting to register or submit their applications,” the police statement read.

SAPS confirmed that the portal remains operational and that its Technology Management Services division, together with technology partners, is working to manage the increased demand.

Applicants who have successfully submitted their applications have also been assured that their submissions remain valid and that no further action is required.

When does SAPS recruitment close?

SAPS has urged prospective applicants to remain patient and avoid repeatedly attempting to register or submit applications, as doing so places additional pressure on the system.

Only applicants who have not received an acknowledgement email should consider reapplying.

Applicants are also encouraged to use the portal outside peak hours where possible and to rely exclusively on official SAPS communication channels for recruitment information and updates.

The eRecruitment portal is available at https://erecruitment.saps.gov.za.

The recruitment drive closes on Friday, 13 November 2026. Prospective applicants are encouraged to submit their applications well before the deadline.