Saps unleashes 1 087 new vehicles in crime-fighting drive

The South African Police Service (Saps) has deployed 1 087 new vehicles to strengthen grassroots policing capacity and improve its ability to respond to crime and community needs.

National Commissioner General Fannie Masemola handed over the vehicles in Pretoria on Thursday, accompanied by Acting National Commissioner for Support Services Lieutenant General (Dr) Bongiwe Zulu and Acting Deputy National Commissioner for Crime Detection Lieutenant General Hilda Senthumule.

Police vehicles

Police spokesperson Colonel Amanda van Wyk said that of the 1 087 vehicles, 739 have been allocated to Detective Services and 290 to the Visible Policing and Operations environment.

Van Wyk said a further 58 vehicles will be kept at Head Office as a reserve fleet for special interventions.

“The vehicles will be deployed to 70 of the 140 identified high-crime police stations, as well as to Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) units, 10111 emergency call centres and Flying Squads.”

Picture: Saps

Allocation

A total of 200 vehicles have been allocated to FCS Units to strengthen Saps’s capacity to provide services to victims of sexual offences, gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF).

The vehicles will support members investigating these cases and help victims access services.

The Eastern Cape received the largest allocation of 163 vehicles, followed by Gauteng (151), Mpumalanga (147), KwaZulu-Natal (135), Western Cape (113), Free State (103), North West (84), Limpopo (79), and Northern Cape (54).

Public resources

Speaking at the handover ceremony, Masemola said the additional vehicles represented an investment in Saps members, the communities they serve and the future of policing in South Africa.

“As we hand over these vehicles, we must recognise that public resources come with a responsibility of stewardship. These vehicles belong to the people of South Africa. They are not instruments of personal convenience or symbols of privilege.

“They are operational assets entrusted to the Saps to protect lives, uphold the law and serve our communities,” said Masemola.

The new fleet, comprising sedans and double-cab bakkies, supports Saps’ ongoing efforts to enhance frontline service delivery, improve operational efficiency, increase police visibility, and strengthen crime-fighting capacity.

Support

The additional vehicles are expected to help police members respond to complaints, conduct investigations, support victims, and intensify crime-prevention and law-enforcement operations.

Saps said it remains committed to ensuring resources are deployed effectively to improve service delivery, strengthen public confidence, and create safer communities.