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SAPS struggling to recruit all races

Mhlaba Memela

Mhlaba Memela

The South African Police Service is battling to attract whites, Indians and coloureds to join the force.

Recruitment figures of the race groups have dwindled in the past nine years.

Present figures show that 99,9percent of those entering the basic training institutions for the police are blacks.

National police director Selby Bokaba said they started a new campaign after noticing the decline in entry numbers for whites, Indians and coloureds.

He said the campaign was taken to high schools, malls and churches.

Bokaba said they had been advertising posts in newspapers predominantly read by the three race groups.

He said the challenge faced by the SAPS was that they were "fighting for the same piece of cake with the SANDF and Metro Police" .

The campaign was launched in Newcastle in KwaZulu-Natal when police showcased their structure, including the national criminal record centre, diving unit, communication and liaison unit, air wing, national task force, and explosives unit.

Local police spokesperson Shooz Magudulela said the manner in which the police presented their activities encouraged the local youth to enlist in policing.

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