The South African Police Service (SAPS) has been allocated R127.072 billion for the 2026/27 financial year, with an expected increase to R135.8 billion by the 2028/29 financial year, making it the largest institution in the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster.
Presenting SAPS Budget Vote in Parliament on Tuesday, Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia described the allocation as part of a broader "police reset agenda" aimed at building a modern, professional and trusted police service that places the safety of people first.
Cachalia emphasised that the police "reset agenda" was not a one-year project finalised in an annual budget cycle.
"It requires a multi-year turnaround strategy that is consistently implemented. The actions we take in this financial year should contribute to the foundations upon which a strengthened SAPS can be built.
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"We won't promise miracles or short-term fixes. What matters is that the direction we are taking is clear and the goals are firm," the Acting Minister said.
He said the budget backs the department's longer-term strategy focusing on the integrity of the SAPS, its intelligence, and investigative capabilities, in order to improve community safety.
He acknowledged growing public frustration over crime levels, corruption, and poor policing standards, saying South Africans wanted a police service that is visible, disciplined, and trustworthy.
While commending the thousands of police officers serving under dangerous conditions, the Acting Minister admitted that SAPS remained affected by systemic corruption, particularly within procurement systems.
He said investigations linked to the Madlanga Commission and internal anti-corruption efforts were continuing, warning that more arrests of implicated officials could follow.
"Most of the recent arrests and criminal charges against senior police officers is the result of investigations that predate the Madlanga Commission. However, the important work of the Madlanga Commission is assisting our endeavours to improve accountability in policing.
"The SAPS has established a dedicated Task Team to investigate referrals arising out of the Madlanga Commission. The Task Team is making progress, [and] arrests will continue," Cachalia said.
He said a major focus of the budget will be strengthening Crime Intelligence and the Detective Service, with government aiming to improve intelligence-led policing, criminal investigations, and prosecution outcomes.
Cachalia emphasised the need for effective crime intelligence to fight organised crime; identify threats early, infiltrate organised criminal networks, prevent violent crime and guide operational deployments through credible information and analysis.
"To retain expertise, the Detective Critical Skills Allowance of R1000, introduced in October 2025 will continue to support both SAPS and Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation investigators."
Tackling organised crime
A new Organised Crime Strategy has been developed to strengthen intelligence-led policing, improve interdepartmental coordination, intensify financial investigations and enhance partnerships with the private sector and international law enforcement agencies.
Cachalia said substantial resources have been allocated from Criminal Assets Recovery Account (CARA) funds and the Medium-term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) budget.
He said the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation will continue strengthening cross-border cooperation and intelligence-sharing to target criminal networks operating across the region and beyond.
Government has also allocated additional resources towards combating illegal firearms, including funding for firearm licensing and compliance activities, as well as the development of an upgraded digital Firearms Control Management System.
To strengthen regulation and enforcement under the Firearms Control Act, an additional R18 million has been allocated over and above the baseline allocation for licensing and compliance activities.
The Acting Minister announced the introduction of a renewed focus on the country's 50 highest-crime police precincts, where detailed assessments will be conducted to evaluate leadership, staffing levels, operational readiness, detective performance, and infrastructure requirements at these stations.
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"A strengthened monitoring system will assess whether resources are directed strategically towards crime hotspots and offenders who cause the most harm to their communities.
"The Civilian Secretariat for Police Service will be playing a key role here. We will continue investing in police stations, mobile Community Service Centres and station maintenance to improve service delivery and police visibility.
"The Police Modernisation Project aims digitalise administrative systems and improve operational efficiency, allowing more police officers to focus on frontline policing and community safety. This project will continue to be rolled out at high-crime stations and is part of the public-private sector partnership - the Joint Initiative Against Crime and Corruption, being led by the Presidency," the Acting Minister said.
Cachalia announced that SAPS procurement and supply chain management systems will undergo significant reform in partnership with National Treasury's Government Technical Advisory Centre in an effort to improve oversight, transparency and operational preparedness.
