Is Your Business Prepared for SAPS Resource Deficit?
26 Aug 2025
The South African Police Service (SAPS) is facing significant operational constraints due to a lack of basic resources, creating a security environment that business leaders must navigate. A Sunday Times report on the 24th August details these challenges, confirming that shortages of vehicles, equipment, and even basic gear are impeding the police's ability to function effectively. These are not isolated incidents but indicators of a systemic issue. For South African businesses, this is not a public sector issue alone; it represents a direct challenge to operational stability and requires an assessment of a company’s private security needs.
From Public Service to Business Risk
The resource deficit within SAPS has tangible consequences that extend directly into the commercial sphere. When a stock theft unit has only one working vehicle for a district covering more than 30 police stations, as the report highlights, the practical result is a delayed response, compromised investigations, and a lower likelihood of asset recovery. Similarly, when members of an anti-gang unit are forced to operate without pistols or bulletproof vests, their effectiveness is severely undermined.
This degradation of frontline capability creates a vacuum that criminals are quick to exploit, increasing the risk profile for businesses. As we noted in our July brief "Crisis of Confidence as the SAPS Unravels", this situation erodes the foundational security that businesses rely on to operate. The inability of police to perform their duties consistently means that the burden of risk management, asset protection, and ensuring employee safety shifts further onto the private sector.
Economic Headwinds and a Strained Protectorate
This decline in police capability is set against a backdrop of considerable economic uncertainty. Excellerate's strategic partner, the Centre for Risk Analysis (CRA) forecasts a best-case GDP growth of only 1% for 2025, with Chris Hattingh observing that positive market sentiment has "yet to be seen on the real economic growth, investment, and job creation fronts." Policy impediments and rising administered prices already act as a cap on South Africa's growth potential.
In such a climate, a strained and ill-equipped police force becomes another impediment to business confidence and investment. A secure environment is a prerequisite for economic activity, from daily commerce to long-term capital projects. The state's reduced ability to guarantee the rule of law adds a layer of operational risk that can deter the very investment needed for growth. It is a compounding factor that makes the cost of doing business in South Africa higher and more complex.
For business leaders, the strategic takeaway is the growing need for self-reliance in security matters. This has necessitated a deliberate shift towards developing private security frameworks with advanced capabilities.
At Excellerate we continue to invest in building operational resources such as our Tactical Response, Intervention Units and Airwing to provide the rapid response and aerial support that our clients now require.
Ensuring business continuity depends on a proactive investment in integrated security solutions that are tailored to the specific risks and realities of this new operating landscape.