Why South African police officers are shunning detective roles: A look at workload and pay

A spate of murders, including the killing of witnesses in important cases in Imbali and Greater Edendale, Pietermaritzburg, has put the competency of the Plessislaer police station under scrutiny. Photo: Nompendulo Ngubane/GroundUp Plessislaer Police Station in Pieteramaritzburg has been identified as among those in the country who have overworked detectives while being underpaid.

Being underpaid, under-resourced and overworked are the main reasons police officers resist becoming crime detectives despite the department adding a R1,000 monthly incentive on top of their salaries to boost the low morale in the unit.

This is the view of a Durban-based detective sharing her personal experience of seeing case dockets piling up on her desk every day.

Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (POPCRU) said the situation in KwaZulu-Natal reflects a broader national crisis within the detective environment.

DA MP Mzamo Billy, a member of the Select Committee on Security and Justice sounded the alarm on Sunday about the situation facing detectives.