Civil claims against South African police surge past 15,000
CAPE TOWN — More than 15,000 civil claims were lodged against the South African Police Service (SAPS) in the latest financial year, raising concerns about police conduct and the growing financial burden that litigation places on resources intended for policing.
The Civilian Secretariat for Police Service (CSPS) told Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Police that claims against SAPS had increased from 12,872 in the previous financial year to 15,359 in 2025/26.
That represents an increase of nearly 20% in a single year.
The claims include allegations of unlawful arrest and detention, assault, shooting incidents, vehicle collisions and other actions involving police officers.
While the number of claims does not mean that SAPS will ultimately be found liable in every case, the sharp increase has prompted the CSPS to call for stronger intervention to prevent avoidable litigation.
The financial exposure is substantial. According to the presentation reported by EWN, SAPS faced contingent liabilities of approximately R69 billion arising from civil claims by the end of March 2026.
Only claims successfully pursued against the police result in payments, meaning the R69 billion figure should not be interpreted as money already lost by SAPS.
However, payouts remain significant. SAPS paid approximately R607 million in civil claims during the 2025/26 financial year, according to the CSPS.
The secretariat identified unlawful arrest and detention as a major contributor to litigation and said stronger training, supervision and consequence management were required.
The figures have practical implications for policing because money spent settling successful claims comes from public funds at a time when SAPS is under pressure to improve detective capacity, visible policing and its response to violent crime.
Civil litigation against police has been a persistent problem in South Africa, particularly where officers allegedly exceed their legal powers during arrests or detention.
The Constitution protects people against arbitrary deprivation of freedom, while police officers are required to have lawful grounds for arrest. Courts can order compensation where those requirements are breached.
The latest figures also place greater scrutiny on whether SAPS is identifying officers, stations or operational practices repeatedly associated with successful claims.
The CSPS said reducing litigation would require preventative measures rather than simply managing cases once claims have already been lodged.
With more than 15,000 new claims recorded in one financial year, the challenge for SAPS is therefore not only defending itself in court but reducing the conduct that exposes the police service and taxpayers to avoidable liability.
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