By Thapelo Molefe
Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia has acknowledged deep public anger and mistrust toward the South African Police Service (SAPS), but said corruption allegations and negative perceptions do not reflect the full reality of policing in the country.
Cachalia was speaking at the SAPS National Excellence Awards held in Bloemfontein on Monday night, as police leaders honoured officers for professionalism and service at a time when the criminal justice system is under intense scrutiny.
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“There is a story being told about the South African Police Service in full view of the public,” Cachalia said.
“That story is not false, but it is not the whole story.”
He said the awards were meant to recognise police officers who continued to serve communities with integrity, often under dangerous and difficult conditions.
“Our people want a police service they can trust,” Cachalia said.
“That trust is not automatic. It is earned through daily conduct that respects the dignity of our people.”
Cachalia stressed that professional behaviour was not optional, warning that public trust could not be rebuilt through arrests and operations alone.
“Without trust, even the best plans and the newest technology will fail,” he said.
National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola said the awards highlighted work that often went unnoticed by the public, including detective work, forensic investigations and high-risk operations.
“Excellence is not a once-off event, It is a daily habit,” Masemola said.
Masemola said Operation Shanela, launched in May 2023, had led to more than 1.8 million arrests across the country. In the past year alone, police arrested more than 145,000 wanted suspects, including over 2,000 linked to murder cases and more than 4,000 for rape and house robberies.
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Police also seized 6,532 firearms and closed more than 38,000 illegal liquor outlets.
Masemola also referred to difficult investigations that had shaken the country, including the recovery of the remains of three missing Free State police officers.
“These cases show the skill and determination of our detectives,” he said.
The awards took place against the backdrop of serious allegations that organised crime groups had infiltrated parts of the police, prosecution and justice system.
In July 2025, KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi claimed that senior politicians and officials interfered in policing and protected criminal networks linked to drug trafficking and assassinations.
President Cyril Ramaphosa placed then police minister Senzo Mchunu on special leave and appointed Cachalia as acting minister. He also set up the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry to investigate the claims. Parliament established an ad hoc committee to examine whether Mchunu misled Parliament and to review alleged irregular contracts.
Public hearings resumed on Monday, the same day as the awards ceremony, highlighting the contrast between honouring police excellence and confronting claims of corruption at senior levels.
Cachalia said restoring trust would require consistent ethical conduct and accountability.
“Our officers must prove through their actions that they deserve the trust of the people they serve,” he said.
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