SAPS is hiring 5,500 trainees. Apply online before 13 November

SAPS wants 5 500 new police trainees, and the only way in is online. Applications opened on Wednesday, 21 October 2026, and close on 13 November 2026 (SAnews). You apply on the official SAPS eRecruitment portal at erecruitment.saps.gov.za, and it costs nothing.

That gives you just over three weeks. SAPS has asked people to apply early and check that they meet every requirement before they submit (SAnews).

Last updated: 21 October 2026, 17:32 SAST.

Who can apply?

The SAPS advert (reference TRA26/27) sets out the minimum requirements. You must (SAPS advert):

• be a South African citizen, with documentary proof
• be at least 18 and not older than 35 on the closing date
• have a Grade 12 certificate or an equivalent qualification
• be proficient in English and at least one other official language
• have no criminal convictions and no pending criminal cases
• have no tattoos that would be visible in any SAPS uniform
• not have been declared unfit to possess a firearm
• be willing to serve anywhere in South Africa and undergo security vetting

A driver's licence is not on the list of minimum requirements. The advert says preference will go to applicants with a valid licence for at least a light motor vehicle, and to those with a three-year tertiary qualification or a matric pass good enough for bachelor's degree admission (SAPS advert).

How do you apply online?

You create a profile on the eRecruitment portal and verify it with a code sent to your email address. Once the account is verified, you follow the steps to apply for the trainee post (SAnews).

SAPS's own guide adds the detail (SAPS FAQ):

1. Register as a first-time user and enter the one-time PIN emailed to you.
2. Complete your profile, including personal details, contact details and education, then click Update Profile.
3. Add your matric and any higher qualifications.
4. Go to SAPS Vacancies, find the trainee post and click Apply.
5. Fill in every section, upload your supporting documents and submit.

You should get a confirmation email with an application reference number. Keep it. SAPS says it will also share a QR code linking to the portal on its official social media accounts (SAnews).

What does the job pay?

Trainees get a stipend of R5 000 a month while training (SAnews). After passing basic training, the advert lists the constable salary at R248 175 a year (SAPS advert).

Training length depends on your qualifications. Recruits with a relevant NQF level 6 qualification or higher train for six months at a SAPS academy. Everyone else does the standard nine-month programme (SAnews).

Can graduates go straight to the Hawks or detectives?

They can be considered for it. Graduates in law, policing, criminology, law enforcement, forensic investigation and IT may be placed in the Hawks (DPCI), Detective and Forensic Services or Crime Intelligence (SAnews). The advert also lists computer science, natural science and accounting science (SAPS advert).

What happens after you apply?

Shortlisted applicants face fitness, psychometric and integrity tests, a medical evaluation and an interview (SAnews). Expect background checks too. The advert says applicants must allow fingerprints and a buccal (cheek swab) sample to be taken and checked against the criminal record system (SAPS advert).

How do you avoid recruitment scams?

SAPS says applications are free and no trainee post is for sale. It has warned applicants to watch out for people who ask for money in exchange for a job or who claim they can influence the selection process (SAnews). If someone asks you to pay, it is not SAPS.

SAPS national spokesperson Colonel Amanda van Wyk described the intake as a chance for young people "to turn their passion for making a difference into a meaningful career in policing" (IOL).