The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has sharply criticised the South African Police Service (SAPS) following the release of its 2024/25 Annual Report, describing the institution as “a lawless and dysfunctional bureaucracy” that has failed to protect citizens. The party on Wednesday said the report reveals an organisation crippled by corruption, mismanagement, and dishonesty under the African National Congress (ANC) government.
EFF national spokesperson Sinawo Thambo said the findings confirm that the police service has lost credibility and is failing to fulfil its constitutional mandate. “The Auditor General’s report exposes a pattern of systematic dishonesty. SAPS leadership has resorted to manipulating and inflating performance data to create the false appearance of progress while communities continue to be terrorised by criminals,” said Thambo.
According to the EFF, the report shows that SAPS falsified crime-solving statistics in several departments to appear more effective than it is. “In one investigative programme, SAPS claimed to have solved more than half of the crimes at construction sites, while the real achievement was less than seven percent. In other instances, figures on recovered vehicles, firearms, and crime reductions were unreliable or exaggerated,” Thambo said.
The EFF statement also points to the worsening conditions at the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), which has failed to meet any of its targets for three consecutive years. The party said backlogs in processing DNA and other forensic evidence have grown by more than half in one year, leaving thousands of criminal cases unresolved. “Victims of murder, rape, and assault are being denied justice because evidence sits unprocessed on laboratory shelves,” said Thambo.
According to the report, the SAPS spent nearly eighty percent of its R113 billion budget on salaries, most of which went to administration rather than investigative work. Despite this, crime levels continue to rise across the country. The EFF said this full expenditure does not indicate efficiency but reflects wasteful spending. “Billions are wasted on salaries and overheads while police stations crumble, forensic systems collapse, and communities wait hours for help that never comes,” said Thambo.
The party also criticised the rise in irregular expenditure, which increased to almost R3 billion, much of it linked to questionable tenders. The statement mentioned that tenders had been awarded to individuals described as alleged criminal figures, including businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala. “Out of more than R900 million in identified cases, most remain under investigation, meaning the same officials responsible for financial mismanagement continue to hold office,” Thambo said.
The report further shows that civil claims against SAPS have surged, with more than R25 billion in new claims and R800 million paid out in the last financial year, mainly for unlawful arrests and detentions. “The police have become serial violators of the Constitution, arresting citizens illegally and brutalising communities while taxpayers pay the price,” said Thambo.
Disciplinary action within SAPS also came under fire. The report shows that out of almost 4 000 disciplinary cases, nearly half were withdrawn or resulted in no punishment. Only ten percent of guilty officers were dismissed, while most received written warnings. “Corruption and misconduct are tolerated within SAPS. This culture of impunity runs deep,” said Thambo.
The EFF highlighted that SAPS lost 8 452 of its own firearms in one year, an average of 23 every day, many of which end up in the hands of criminals. The party said this reflects the leadership’s inability to control its resources or safeguard communities.
The statement also expressed concern over the SAPS’s failure to address gender-based violence. Crimes against women and children have increased, yet SAPS did not include measurable targets to address these issues in its annual plan. “This indifference shows contempt for the suffering of women and children. Action plans and steering committees are meaningless while victims continue to suffer,” Thambo said.
The EFF said the findings reinforce what has already been exposed through the ongoing Madlanga Commission and the Parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee into the disbandment of the Political Killings Task Team. Thambo said the EFF will continue to push for accountability through the newly established Parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee on the infiltration of SAPS.
“This committee will resolve on recommendations that will lay the foundation for a reformed, accountable, and corruption free police service that truly serves and protects the people of South Africa,” said Thambo.
The party called on Parliament and law enforcement oversight bodies to act urgently to restore integrity to the police service and hold accountable those who have turned SAPS into what the party described as “a criminal syndicate dressed in uniform.”
