Public trust in the South African Police Service (SAPS) has plunged to a historic low, according to the latest South African Social Attitudes Survey released by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) on Monday.
The survey, which has tracked public sentiment since 2003, revealed that confidence in the police has dropped to just 22%, a low that reflects growing disillusionment with law enforcement in the country.
Between 1998 and 2010, trust in the SAPS remained relatively stable, averaging between 39% and 42%.
However, a sharp decline followed the 2012 Marikana massacre, where police shot and killed 34 striking miners.
Trend reversed
While public confidence showed signs of recovery by 2015, the trend reversed again in subsequent years.
Between 2016 and 2020, trust in the SAPS hovered around 31% to 35%, before falling to 27% in 2021 – a drop researchers link to the July unrest that year.
In 2022, public confidence declined a further five percentage points, and has remained at that level since.
The HSRC noted that over the 27-year period, a majority of South Africans have never expressed consistent trust in the police, pointing to a long-standing crisis of police legitimacy.
The latest findings come amid renewed calls for a judicial inquiry into policing, following ongoing concerns over crime, corruption, and poor accountability within the SAPS.
At what percentage would you rate your trust in the SAPS?
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