The Democratic Alliance (DA) has exposed shocking revelations that the South African Police Service (SAPS) spent R131.5 million on salaries for 618 officers on paid sick leave for over six months during the 2023/2024 financial year. The party is demanding immediate action from Police Minister Senzo Mchunu to investigate this misuse of public funds.
In response to a parliamentary question, Minister Mchunu confirmed the staggering costs of extended sick leave within SAPS. The DA warns this irresponsible expenditure comes at a time when the police service faces severe operational challenges and rising crime rates, diverting critical resources from frontline policing.
“This eye-watering expenditure occurs while SAPS struggles with severe operational difficulties and rising calls for increased security,” said DA Deputy Spokesperson on Police, Lisa Schickerling. “South Africans deserve a police force that is responsible, professional, and accountable – not one that wastes precious resources on unchecked sick leave abuse.”
The DA has called for:
An immediate independent audit into long-term sick leave cases and their financial impact
Stricter procedures to prevent sick leave abuse
Comprehensive reviews of sick leave management policies
Regular parliamentary updates on efforts to reduce these costly absences
Schickerling added: “We will write to the Portfolio Committees on Police and Public Service to formally request investigations into sick leave abuse across government departments. This wasteful expenditure places unnecessary strain on taxpayers and undermines efforts to build an effective police service.”
The party emphasized that while legitimate medical cases deserve support, the current system appears vulnerable to abuse due to poor management and lack of oversight. With SAPS already facing budget constraints, the R131 million wasted on extended sick leave could have funded critical policing resources or personnel.
The DA maintains that accountability in SAPS leadership is essential to prevent further misuse of public funds and ensure resources are directed toward fighting crime rather than subsidizing questionable absenteeism. As pressure mounts for police reform, this revelation highlights systemic management failures requiring urgent intervention.
