02.11.2025
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Calls grow for SAPS and JMPD to resolve operational disputes

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  • City of Johannesburg MMC’s lead a joint inspection with Environmental Health Practitioners, SAPS and JMPD at Siyabonga Supermarket, Naledi in Soweto on January 27, 2025.

Calls are being made for the management of the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) to sit down and resolve their operational disputes.
In an unprecedented move, officers from both law enforcement agencies arrested each other’s members last month while carrying out policing work in Gauteng. This has brought into question the recently concluded memorandum of understanding between various local, provincial and national policing units to work together beyond areas of jurisdiction.
On the 17th of September, seven JMPD officers were arrested by SAPS whilst carrying out an operation in Bekkersdal, West of Johannesburg.
Five days later, JMPD officers arrested seven members of the SAPS on suspicion of kidnapping and extorting a suspected illegal miner. These latest arrests have not only raised eyebrows but also concerns that they could strain relations between the two law enforcement agencies.

MMC for Public Safety Mgcini Tshwaku says that in April this year, a memorandum of understanding was signed between various municipal, provincial and national policing units to work together to fight crime across jurisdictions.
“Remember, we signed a memorandum of understanding for the province, the national and the municipalities. With municipalities, we used to have cross borders, so now we have signed that MOU that there are no borders anymore. So because of that, we’re obviously going to have those tensions since we’re now able to cross borders from Johannesburg to other areas chasing criminals. However, we have escalated the matter to the MEC for Cogta to intervene. They have a bilateral meeting with ourselves, JMPD and SAPS. We’ve escalated it to the premier as well.”
Both the SAPS and the JMPD have distanced themselves from the matter, with SAPS stating that both cases are before the courts and they will not be commenting on them. While the JMPD indicated that both matters are being investigated internally.
JMPD spokesperson Xolani Fihla says, “Due to the sensitivity of the legal process and to ensure the integrity of the ongoing investigations, the JMPD cannot touch extensively on the two cases.”

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