By Everson Luhanga
- Young people who applied for Tshwane metro police jobs say the November 2025 recruitment process was not fair to them.
- Conveners Karabo Molefe and Kutloano Tlou handed a memorandum to Tshwane city officials, demanding answers about the metro police recruitment.
Unemployed young people in Tshwane marched to Tshwane House this week and handed over a memorandum demanding answers about how the metro police chose its trainees.
Chief convener Karabo Molefe and deputy chief convener Kutloano Tlou led the march. They said the process left many applicants feeling cheated.
Thousands of young people applied for trainee posts at the Tshwane Metro Police Department. The recruitment took place in November 2025. For many families, a government job can mean food on the table, money for transport and rent.
Applicants said the selection stages were confusing and sometimes inconsistent. Tlou said the physical test required candidates to run 2.4km and climb a wall while carrying a 40kg bag within a time limit.
“Those who didn’t finish the challenge were not allowed to write the test, but some people who failed were still allowed to continue,” Tlou said.
The group also said the written English test was not handled the same way for all applicants. Time limits differed for some candidates, and they said communication from organisers was poor.
The group said it later found out that some successful candidates were already at college and wearing uniforms. “We later discovered that some people were already at college while others were still waiting for answers,” Tlou said.
Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Corporate and Shared Services Kholofelo Morodi received the memorandum. She said the city would investigate the allegations and respond in writing.
The group says it will wait 30 days for answers. If nothing changes, they warn they may take further action.
The march in Tshwane was not the only sign of how desperate young South Africans are for work.
On Friday 13 March, the Rocomamas branch at Mall of Africa in Johannesburg posted a simple ad for waiter positions, with walk-in interviews starting at 8am. Hundreds of young people arrived, many of them graduates and school-leavers, and stood in a long queue with their CVs. There was no chaos and no protest. Just people looking for work.
Pictured above: Unemployed youth march to Tshwane House demanding answers about the Tshwane Metro Police Department trainee recruitment process.
Image source: Screenshot
