Central SA
More than 600,000 dockets gathering dust in Free State police stations─── KEKELETSO MOSEBETSI 10:13 Thu, 19 Jun 2025
More than 600,000 criminal cases remain unresolved in the Free State due to a shortage of police capacity.
This troubling revelation came to light during the Community Safety, Roads and Transport budget vote in the Fourth Raadsaal in Bloemfontein.
Police detectives, including those in specialised units, are buckling under an overwhelming workload. The average caseload for a detective stands at 395 dockets, nearly four times the recommended ideal of a hundred each.
‘These workloads are impossible’
Free State DA leader Dr Roy Jankielsohn voiced concerns over this situation during the budget vote debate. “These workloads are impossible for detectives to deal with and are one of the reasons for poor detection and conviction rates in the province. Stress-related ill-health is also on the increase alongside suicides among SAPS members.”
With 1,597 detectives in the province, they are collectively responsible for an estimated 630,815 unsolved cases, said Jankielsohn. Apart from the lack of personnel, the shortage of resources such as forensic support and police fleet vehicles further hampers efforts to combat crime and secure convictions.
Community Safety, Roads and Transport MEC Jabu Mbalula outlined efforts to ease the strain on the province’s policing system. As part of the police’s National Project 10,000, 283 student constables were deployed across the Free State in April last year. An additional 183 recruits are undergoing training, and 16 former officers are being processed for re-enlistment into the detective services.
“These interventions reflect a holistic, partnership-driven approach to building a safer, more resilient Free State,” Mbalula said, noting the province is committed to addressing the backlog and enhancing investigative capacity.
Mbalula also said rural safety remains high on the province’s policing agenda. He emphasised the importance of tackling stock theft and increasing community awareness.
“During the 2024/25 financial year, the top ten rural stations conducted 490 Stock Theft and Community Safety Awareness campaigns,” he said.
These efforts have led to several breakthroughs, including recovering stolen livestock and property in areas such as Heilbron, Koppies, Welkom, and Ladybrand.
In Bultfontein, three suspects were apprehended while slaughtering sheep stolen from a local farm. Authorities have managed to recover or give an account for 40 of the sheep.
