SAPS Mental Health Crisis

Statement by Lisa Schickerling MP – DA Spokesperson on Police:

Last week’s tragic Gqeberha incident, where a SAPS officer allegedly killed his wife before taking his own life, shows why SAPS can no longer ignore the mental health crisis among its officers.

The DA is calling for urgent action to protect officers, their families and the public.

The growing mental health crisis within the South African Police Service (SAPS) is claiming the lives of police officers and, in some tragic cases, their loved ones.

Recent reports indicate that, on average, one SAPS member dies by suicide every week. This alarming trend is compounded by a number of recent cases in which serving police officers have allegedly murdered their spouses or intimate partners before taking their own lives or facing criminal prosecution. While each case has its own circumstances, together they raise serious questions about the adequacy of SAPS’s mental health support, early intervention mechanisms and risk management systems.

The DA extends our sincere condolences to the families of every officer and every victim affected by these tragedies. These incidents leave behind devastated children, families, colleagues and communities.

Police officers work under extraordinary pressure. They are routinely exposed to violent crime scenes, domestic violence, fatal accidents and human suffering. Too often, warning signs are missed because trauma debriefing, mental health screening and wellness support are not consistently available.

This is a public safety issue. SAPS must identify officers in distress early and intervene before untreated trauma has devastating consequences for officers, their families, colleagues and the public.

The DA therefore calls on the National Commissioner to urgently:

• Implement mandatory, confidential psychological assessments and trauma debriefing following critical incidents.
• Strengthen mental health and resilience training throughout police college training and continuous professional development.
• Expand SAPS Employee Health and Wellness capacity by increasing the number of psychologists, social workers and counsellors available to members.
• Develop clear intervention protocols for members displaying signs of severe psychological distress or involved in domestic violence complaints, including appropriate risk assessments regarding access to service firearms.
• Ensure station commanders and senior managers receive training to identify early warning signs and refer members for professional assistance.

The DA will continue to use Parliament and the Portfolio Committee on Police to hold SAPS leadership accountable for implementing meaningful reforms that protect both police officers and the public.

Those who dedicate their lives to protecting South Africans deserve an organisation that protects them too.