SMS members

Annual lifestyle reviews are conducted within SAPS with only a few escalating to lifestyle investigations, and all such investigated cases have been cleared with no referrals for lifestyle investigations between financial years 2021/22 and 2023/24 except 5 SMS members investigated and cleared in 2024/25.

“within SAPS, every year, these lifestyle reviews conducted, and some of them have led, in very few cases, to lifestyle investigations. In each case, they have been cleared... Between financial year 2021/22 and 23/24, no SAPS officials were referred for lifestyle investigation. In 24/25, 5 of 23 SMS members underwent lifestyle investigations and all were cleared.”

There is general knowledge within SAPS of conflict of interest or possible compromise involving senior members around narcotics matters; members speak off-record about it but not publicly.

“There is a conflict of interest with SMS members when it comes to narcotics within SAPS ... it happens that the mission will not be accomplished as the target will be tipped off or it will come to their knowledge ... members will not publicly speak about it, but within corridors and on the street, they speak of it off record.”