· Over 186,000 people applied for just 500 training spots in Johannesburg Metro Police’s 2025 recruitment drive.
· The department is building a suicide prevention manual and offering trauma counselling to officers exposed to violence.
The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department has started calling shortlisted candidates for its 2025 recruitment drive.
Physical assessments began on Monday, 25 August, with SMS and email notifications sent to successful applicants. This follows the department’s online recruitment campaign, which ran from 25 June to 8 July on the City of Johannesburg website.
According to spokesperson Xolani Fihla, the department received 186,250 applications. Out of those, 17,846 are women. But there are only 500 spots available.
“The high volume of applications received by law enforcement agencies in South Africa exceeds the number of available positions, and it is a significant administrative task to process all applications and select the most suitable candidates,” said Fihla.
Training is expected to begin on 1 January 2026 and will last 18 months. The pass-out parade is scheduled for mid-2027.
Fihla said the new recruits will help boost safety in the city and reduce unemployment. They will also be paid a stipend during training and could become full officers if they pass.
While the department builds its force, it is also trying to tackle a growing mental health crisis. There have been several cases of police officers killing their partners and then taking their own lives.
Fihla said staff are referred to the Employee Assistance Programme when they are in distress. The programme runs awareness campaigns and gives clinical support, including counselling and trauma debriefing.
“In instances of exposure to trauma or traumatic incidents, as well as bereavement, employees are offered professional group trauma debriefing and counselling sessions, and follow-up sessions are offered where needed,” said Fihla.
The department is also developing a suicide prevention toolkit and manual for its officers.
Pictured above: JMPD recruits during training
Image source: Supplied
