Public Order Police (POPs) members at the Tshwane Police Training Academy on 15 June 2024. Picture: Gallo Images/Frennie Shivambu The South African Police Service (Saps) has paid out R2.8 billion in civil claims related to unlawful arrest, detention, and assault since April 2022, with a further R56.7 billion in potential claims still pending. This information was disclosed by acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia in a written parliamentary response.
In his reply, Cachalia revealed that 48 569 cases of unlawful arrest and detention were pending nationwide as of September 2025. He said the projected financial liability linked to these cases amounted to R56.7 billion (R56 766 457 786.91). “It should be noted that this is the contingent liability and does not represent the actual liability that the Saps may incur,” the minister added.
Cachalia provided a breakdown of the amounts paid out by Saps for unlawful arrest and detention claims across multiple financial years. During the 2022/2023 financial year, Saps recorded 4 550 incidents nationwide. These claims resulted in payouts totalling approximately R541.75 million (R541 751 164.30).
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The North West province recorded the highest number of cases at 1 289 incidents, while also incurring the largest cost of R263.1 million (R263 136 353.56). In the 2023/2024 financial year, the number of incidents rose to 5 533, with total payouts amounting to approximately R491.31 million (R491 316 050.48).
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