SAPS spent R131.5 million on sick leave

POLICE Minister Senzo Mchunu has revealed that the South African Police Service (SAPS) spent an estimated R131.5 million on paid sick leave in the 2023/24 financial year.

- STAFF REPORTER

The figure covers extended sick leave taken by more than 600 officers, highlighting deep-rooted concerns about the health and welfare of the country's law enforcement personnel.

Responding to parliamentary questions, Mchunu disclosed that 618 SAPS employees were on paid sick leave for a period exceeding six months during the financial year. This amount of prolonged absence has placed renewed focus on the physical and psychological toll of policing in South Africa.

Each SAPS member is allocated either 22 or 30 annual leave days per year, which are distributed monthly.

When leave taken exceeds the accrued amount, it results in overdrawn leave balances, costing the department millions in salary payouts without the corresponding labour. The issue of excessive sick leave within SAPS is not new.