Trust in South African police at an all time low, report shows

Mail & Guardian

14-07-2025

Public trust in the South African Police Service is at an all-time low, with just over a fifth of citizens having faith in the police since 2022
(File photo by Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)
Public trust in the
The study by the
Ramaphosa said he was setting up a judicial commission of inquiry to be chaired by the acting deputy chief justice, Mbuyiseli Madlanga, to investigate what he called 'the infiltration of law enforcement, intelligence and associated institutions within the criminal justice system by criminal syndicates'.
According to
From 1998 to 2010, the average level of trust ranged between 39% and 42%, but dropped sharply in the 2011-13 period following the
In 2021, trust in the police fell to 27%, apparently as a result of the
'The findings of this study underscore the urgent need for SAPS to prioritise building public trust and confidence,' the HSRC's Benjamin Roberts, the principal investigator of the study, commented.
'By adopting a more community-focused and accountable approach to policing, we can work towards creating safer and more secure communities for all South Africans.'
In his live address on Sunday, Ramaphosa said the allegations against Mchunu and others made last week by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi posed a grave threat to the rule of law and national security.
Mchunu has denied the allegations against him.
On Monday, the HSRC said trust in the police had fallen in all provinces over the past two and a half decades, although there were notable disparities.
The Eastern Cape and Northern Cape consistently recorded the highest levels of trust, averaging 43% and 42% respectively, while Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal had the lowest average trust levels at 29% and 34% respectively, slumping to just 18% in 2024-25.
'Provinces such as the Free State and Limpopo, which once reported relatively high trust, have also experienced marked declines, reaching 23% by 2024-25. By the time of the 2024-25 survey round, no province recorded trust levels above 30%,' the HSRC said.
'The trend points to a deepening legitimacy crisis for SAPS across the country, with historically higher-trust provinces converging downward toward the levels of deep scepticism observed in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.'
The report added that public views of the police were influenced by broader evaluations of democratic performance and the trustworthiness of the government.
'Public confidence in democratic institutions has shown a strong downward trend over the past 17 years, as part of a general pattern of diminishing political support. Police confidence is not immune to the pull-down effect of these wider trends,' it said.
Established in 1968 as a statutory research agency, the HSRC's mandate is to inform the effective formulation and monitoring of government policy, evaluate policy implementation and encourage public debate.