SAPS Medical Assessment 2026 Update: Recruits Delayed

Quick answer: The SAPS medical assessment for the 2025/26 police trainee intake could not be completed because the health screening contract was cancelled, so the planned February enlistment did not go ahead. SAPS told Parliament this week that the intake is deferred to this financial year, raising its target to 11,000 trainees, with the SANDF assisting with medical screening.

Key takeaways

The South African Police Service (SAPS) could not enlist the 5,500 trainees it planned for 2025/26 because mandatory medical assessments were not completed.
The R360 million health screening contract with Medicare24 was cancelled, leaving SAPS without a service provider for recruit medicals.
SAPS says the delayed intake has been moved into the current financial year, lifting its trainee target to 11,000.
The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) will assist with medical screening for recruits this financial year, but no start date has been announced.
SAPS never charges fees at any stage of recruitment, so any payment request linked to the delayed intake is a scam.

Last updated: 7 October 2026

The latest SAPS medical assessment 2026 update explains why thousands of shortlisted police applicants are still waiting at home. This week, South African Police Service (SAPS) management told Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Police that the 2025/26 trainee intake stalled because recruits could not be medically screened after a key contract was cancelled. The intake has not been scrapped: it has been pushed into the current financial year.

What is the latest SAPS medical assessment 2026 update?

SAPS says the medical step for its last trainee intake could not be finished, so the enlistment planned for February did not happen. Those recruits are now part of a larger target of 11,000 trainees for this financial year, and the SANDF will assist with medical screening.

Presenting the 2025/26 annual report, Major-General Leon Rabie told MPs that SAPS drew over a million applications and finished recruiting 6,125 funded candidates. He explained that the February enlistment was halted after the health risk manager's contract was terminated, which meant the mandatory medical assessment could not be completed.

Acting Commissioner Puleng Dimpane linked the shortfall directly to the contract, telling MPs the 5,500 planned trainees could not be recruited "mainly because of the contract issue".

Why were the 5,500 SAPS trainees delayed?

The delay comes down to one missing service: pre-enlistment medical screening. Without a contracted provider to examine candidates, SAPS could not complete the compulsory medical step required before enlistment.

The screening work sat under a three-year "health risk management" contract worth R360 million, awarded to a company called Medicare24 for the Tshwane District. MedicalBrief reported that Fannie Masemola, then National Police Commissioner, told a parliamentary ad hoc committee he cancelled the deal after an internal audit flagged poor performance, fronting and serious procurement irregularities. He said the contract had not yet been re-awarded, and that he only later learned that businessman Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala was behind Medicare24. That left a gap that directly hit the trainee pipeline.

Who is affected by the delay?

The people most affected are applicants from the 2025 recruitment drive who progressed through the selection stages and were waiting to be called to a police academy.

Shortlisted candidates: SAPS said recruitment was completed for 6,125 people before the medical step stalled.
The wider applicant pool: SAnews reported that more than a million applications arrived by the 18 July 2025 closing date, including 334,765 from graduates.
Communities and police stations: fewer new trainees could mean stations wait longer for extra officers.

If you applied in 2025 and heard nothing since, you are not alone. Your application status depends on how far you got in the process, which SAPS has not published individually.

How does the SAPS selection process work?

SAPS selects trainees through a multi-phase process, and a medical examination is compulsory before anyone can be enlisted. Applicants first sit psychometric and integrity assessments, which were held in all nine provinces.

Psychometric and integrity assessments (the first step).
Physical fitness evaluation.
Vetting.
Medical examination, the requirement that could not be met for the February intake.

SAPS has previously said preference goes to applicants with a tertiary qualification at NQF level 6 or higher and to those holding a driver's licence.

When will the SAPS medical assessment take place?

No date has been announced. SAPS confirmed that the SANDF will assist with medical screening during the current financial year, but it has not published a timetable for when deferred recruits will be examined or enlisted.

Here is what is confirmed and what is still unclear:

Confirmed: the deferred intake moves into the current financial year.
Confirmed: the trainee target for this year is now 11,000.
Confirmed: the SANDF will assist with medical screening.
Not stated: dates for medicals, academy intake dates, or whether a new application window will open.

Until SAPS publishes an official SAPS medical assessment timetable, treat any website or social media post claiming fixed dates with caution.

Is SAPS recruitment 2026 open for new applicants?

SAPS says the deferred intake has been added to this year's target, bringing it to 11,000. It has not said whether a new application window will open.

Many sites have published "SAPS 11000 recruitment" or "SAPS 5500 vacancies" posts with links to forms. Only apply through the official SAPS website. If no official advert exists, there is nothing to apply for yet.

How to avoid SAPS recruitment scams

SAPS does not charge fees at any stage of recruitment. Any request for money, whatever the reason, is a scam.

Fraudsters may try to exploit delays like this one, promising to "fast-track" a medical or secure a place at the academy. In June 2026 SAPS warned about fake trainee adverts on social media and said it will never ask for payment during recruitment.

Genuine employers, SAPS and government departments never charge fees.
They never ask for e-wallet, cash-send or voucher payments.
They never recruit through unofficial WhatsApp numbers or private social media accounts.
Do not forward suspicious adverts, and report payment requests to SAPS.

What this means for you

If you were shortlisted in the 2025 drive, note that SAPS says the intake has been deferred, not cancelled, although it has not said how individual candidates will be contacted. Keep your contact details current, watch the official SAPS website and verified SAPS social media for notices, and keep copies of your ID and qualifications ready for when medicals restart.

Common mistakes to avoid while you wait:

Paying anyone who claims they can book your medical or skip the queue.
Trusting unofficial pages that publish invented intake dates.
Assuming a new application is needed when SAPS has not called for one.

We will update this article when SAPS announces medical assessment or enlistment dates.

Frequently asked questions

Why did SAPS not take in 5,500 trainees in 2025/26?

The mandatory medical assessments could not be completed after the R360 million health screening contract with Medicare24 was cancelled. Without those medicals, SAPS could not proceed with the February enlistment, according to its briefing to Parliament this week.

Has the SAPS trainee intake been cancelled?

No. SAPS told MPs that the intake was deferred to the current financial year. This raises its trainee target for the year to 11,000.

Who will do the SAPS medical assessments now?

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) will assist with medical screening for recruits this financial year. SAPS has not announced dates for when the screening will start.

Is SAPS recruitment open for new applications in 2026?

SAPS has not announced a new application window in this update. Only trust adverts published on the official SAPS website and verified SAPS channels.

How many people applied in the last SAPS recruitment drive?

More than a million applications were received by the 18 July 2025 closing date, according to SAnews. Of these, 334,765 came from graduates.

Do I have to pay to get a SAPS medical assessment?

No. SAPS never charges fees at any stage of recruitment. Anyone asking you for money to book a medical or secure a trainee post is running a scam and should be reported.

Sources

This article was compiled by Jobsiz from the sources listed above, with AI-assisted writing and automated fact-checking. Published 7 October 2026. We update stories when new verified information becomes available.

SAPS Medical Assessment 2026 Update: 5,500 Recruits Delayed