SAPS members’ mental health should be prioritised to enhance effective policing

6 August 2024

The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police, Mr Ian Cameron, has learned with shock the sad news of the passing of South African Police Service (SAPS) Anti-Gang Unit Member Sergeant Raoul Murray, who took his own life last week. The tragic suicide highlights the need for enhanced employee health and wellness initiatives within the SAPS to assist officers to cope more effectively with the challenges in their operational environmental.
 
“It is tragic that a dedicated officer, at only 38 years of age, can take his own life, robbing his family of a loved one and the country of a respected law enforcement official. The South African Police Service must do more to enhance the broad psycho-social assistance to its members to reduce suicide in the SAPS,” Mr Cameron emphasised.
 
The death of Sergeant Murray comes directly after the Portfolio Committee on Police emphasised its concerns about the lack of adequate employee health and wellness interventions for SAPS members. The committee was briefed by the SAPS senior management that the entire SAPS structure has only 621 employed health and wellness employees, servicing about 187 278 personnel within SAPS.
 
“In the context of the high crime rate, especially violent crimes, SAPS members are faced with gruesome scenes that are bound to have a negative impact on their mental health. Resilience building and general support care should be a central pillar of the work of SAPS to ensure the mental wellbeing of officers expected to fight crime effectively,” Mr Cameron said.
 
SAPS management also informed the committee that 33 suicides occurred within the SAPS in the 2019/20 financial year, 30 in the 2020/21 financial year and 39 in the 2021/22 financial year. Furthermore, 38 homicide–suicide incidents occurred from 2019 to 2022.
 
The committee had emphasised during the 2024/25 budget process that the continued disregard of this important element has a direct impact on the morale and effectiveness of SAPS members and their ability to fight crime.
 
“In a country encountering high crime statistics, it is a moral requirement that foot soldiers are broadly capacitated to effectively deal with crime. Without the adequate psycho-social support, members will be exposed to unmitigated mental stress that could lead to suicide. This must be urgently addressed,” Mr Cameron said.
 
While the Chairperson acknowledged that the SAPS has partnerships with non-governmental organisations, faith-based organisations and health professionals linked to POLMED and GEMS medical aid schemes, the committee urged SAPS management to consider strengthening internal employee health and wellness programmes to ensure that the well-being of members is prioritised.
 
The committee has committed to championing the plight of SAPS members to ensure that proactive employee health and wellness interventions are implemented.

Issued by Malatswa Molepo, Parliamentary Communication Services, 6 August 2024