This article contains information on everything you need to know about the police ranks in South Africa as of 2023.
The South African Police Service is popularly abbreviated as SAPS. They have been saddled with the responsibility of ensuring that the country is crime free. Over the years, the country has tried to look for ways to better improve the quality and of services by SAPS.
Currently, there are 1116 police stations in the Republic of South Africa. These stations are divided according to the provincial borders. Each province has a Provincial Commissioner. Thus, there are a total of 9 Provincial Commissioners in the Republic of South Africa, of which all of them report directly to the National Commissioner.
That aside, just like every other organization that has hierarchy, the South African Police service, SAPS also has a specific hierarchy which describes every rank of police force of the Republic of South Africa. These ranks make it easy for roles of each individual to be clearly stated and discharged as well for instructions to flow easily from higher authorities to lower positions. In other words, there are ranks in SAPS so that each person can know where they belong and stick to their responsibilities with crossing boundaries. The current ranking of the police was adopted in 2010.
Below is the Police rank in South Africa.
LIST OF POLICE RANKS IN SOUTH AFRICA
The rank structure is divided into senior management which has commissioned officers and non-commissioned officers.
SENIOR MANAGEMENT
This is the highest group of police rank in the Republic of South Africa.
This category is further divided into four main sub categories which are officers with ranks of general, lieutenant-general, major-general and brigadier.
- General: This is the highest police rank in the Republic of South Africa. This is a commissioned officer rank but of senior management category.
- Lieutenant General: This is the second highest police rank. It is Subordinate to general and in command in absence of general.
- Major General: This is the next rank in the police hierarchy of the Republic of South Africa after the lieutenant general and Senior to the rank of brigadier.
- Brigadier: This is the lowest in the senior management commissioned officer rank in the police hierarchy of the Republic of South Africa. Officers here take instructions from every other officer above.
COMMISSIONED OFFICERS
The commissioned officers is the mid-level officer rank of the police hierarchy of the Republic of South Africa. Below are the subcategories of the commissioned officers category.
5. Colonel: This is the highest level in the category of commissioned officers. It did never exist till April 2010, when there were changes in the police hierarchy of Republic of South Africa
6. Lieutenant Colonel: This is the second rank in the category. They take charge in the absence of colonels.
7. Major: This rank leads the team of captains and lieutenants but subordinate to the category of lieutenant colonel.
8. Captain: This rank is higher and supreme to lieutenant. It is among commissioned officers’ rank in the police hierarchy of the Republic of South Africa.
9. Lieutenant: This is the lowest rank in the commissioned officer category in the police hierarchy of the Republic of South Africa. A lieutenant is only higher than those in the noncommissioned hierarchy.
NON–COMMISSIONED OFFICERS
The lowest category in the police hierarchy of the Republic of South Africa is non – commissioned officers. Below are the ranks in this category:
10. Warrant Officer: This is a category of officers who are hired as officers by a warrant from the government.
11. Sergeant: The mid-level non – commissioned officer rank and handles the team of constables for law and order in the town.
12. Constable: The lowest level rank in the police hierarchy of the Republic of South Africa is the Police constable.
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