Cape Town - Police Minister Bheki Cele says they will use the R8.7 billion allocated by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana to recruit 12 000 new police officers.
Cele, who was answering questions in Parliament on Wednesday, said they will beef up the police.
He said in 2012 the police had 195 000 officers, but that number dropped to 177 000.
But the addition of the 12 000 new recruits will give the SAPS needed personnel.
Cele said the new officers will go to the specialised units including the Special Task Force, the National Intervention Unit, the Public Order Policing and the Tactical Response Unit.
He said this was a much needed boost for the police in the fight against crime.
Cele also told MPs that they will also be recruiting university students to work at the forensic science laboratory and accountants to work in the specialised units.
“It’s true there are several things that have caused the numbers declining, people dying, people leaving the organisation and less recruitment.
“That has changed.
“The president has changed that through the minister of finance that these figures are coming, which will improve visibility and ration policing,” said Cele on the recruits of 12 000 new members of the police.
He said most of these recruits will go to the specialised units.
“But we will also improve the specialised units.
“As you would know most of the specialised units need young blood, your POP, Special Task Force, National Intervention Unit and TRT.
“They need young blood to such an extent that most of the figures you see here will be absorbed in those specialised units with the hope that we will be able to get figures going forward,” he said.
Political Bureau