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Thank you Programme Director
• Our Functionary, the Minister of Police Honourable Senzo Mchunu, MP Dumelang! Good Morning to you all! It gives me great pleasure to stand before this parade as we induct young people into the South African Police Service (SAPS). It is my pleasure to extend a very warm welcome to all of you gathered here at the Tshwane Police Academy. This morning, we will be witnessing the passing-out parade of newly qualified police constables who successfully completed the Basic Police Development Learning Programme (BPDLP), qualifying them to hit the ground running in support of our Safer Festive Season Operations and general law enforcement obligations. A special welcome and sincere appreciation to Minister Mchunu. We really appreciate your presence at this very important event of the SAPS and your overall leadership of the organisation. Ladies and gentlemen I am pleased to welcome the Acting Deputy National Commissioner, all Provincial Commissioners present, Divisional Commissioners, and all other Generals, Brigadiers, and Senior Officers of the SAPS who have travelled from different corners of the country for this important occasion. Your presence and moral support will go a long way in demonstrating to our trainee constables on parade the bond and solidarity that embody the spirit of the men and women in blue. A heartfelt welcome to our new SAPS recruits on parade. We also welcome your family, friends, and loved ones who have come to witness this special moment in your career in SAPS. Ladies and Gentlemen, the young men and women in blue passing out today form part of our 2024 BPDLP recruitment drive. It is worth noting that, parallel to this passing-out parade are three other parades taking place today at Bishop Lavis Academy in the Western Cape province, Ulundi Academy in KwaZulu-Natal province, and Graaff-Reinet Academy in the Eastern Cape province. This tells us that this week, we are welcoming a considerable number of new Constables to our organisation. These new members are passing out after successfully completing the nine months long NQF level 5 BPDLP training and the first phase of Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) non-commissioned police official training which is a NQF level 6 qualification. During the nine months since their arrival at our academy in April this year (2024), the trainees were oriented on the SAPS in general and taken through the SAPS Code of Conduct, covering professional and ethical conduct. The trainees also underwent rigorous training in Law focusing on — to cite a few— the Criminal Procedure Act, the SAPS Act, and other related legislation such as the Constitution within the context of policing. Over the period of training, the trainees have also been equipped with critical skills required for the Community Service Centre, which is our most important point of contact between the police and our communities. Our new Constables have also been given the necessary insight into crime detection and were trained in understanding the elements of crime, statement-taking, and investigations across the spectrum. Ladies and Gentlemen, the trainees have also been exposed to crime prevention and have received insight into sector policing, community policing, and partnership policing. One other learning area the trainees were exposed to is street survival and the use of firearms, where they were equipped with knowledge and skills relating to tactical policing and the use of firearms. Esteemed guests, let me take this opportunity to congratulate our new constables for completing the training program. Minister, the total number of members on parade countrywide in Tshwane and three other Academies is 2699. The total number at each Academy is broken down as follows: • Tshwane Academy – 2060 new police Constables, • Bishop Lavies – 399, • Graaff – Reinet – 112 and • Ulundi -128. The total number makes out 1344 males and 1355 females countrywide. Furthermore Minister, for the Tshwane Academy passing out parade, I am proud to announce that for this passing out parade, female trainee constables are taking the lead with a total of 1097, in comparison with 963 of their male counterpart. Minister Mchunu, I now invite you for the inspection of the parade. Over to you Minister. THANK YOU
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