Recently, I was informed of reports that a number of applicants for our 1500 Metro Police Officer (MPO) trainee positions had been turned away at the gate of the JMPD Training Academy.

I investigated these allegations and found that only shortlisted applicants would have been invited to attend the physical fitness test. What transpired was that some of the unsuccessful applicants came to the test without having received an invitation and were subsequently turned away.

The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) recently went on a recruitment drive for 1500 MPO trainees. A staggering 65 000 applications were received by the Department.

From the 65 000 applications received, 7500 applicants were shortlisted and will be contacted over a 10 day period to undergo the first phase of assessment, which will be the physical fitness test.

As per the 2011 gazetted Policy Document of Training Centres, applicants needed to meet the following criteria:

Grade 12 qualification;
Code B driver licence for manual transmission;
No criminal record;
South African Citizen;
Resident in the City of Johannesburg;
No civil judgements in relation to fraud or corruption in your name
Between the ages of 18 and 35
The 7500 applicants were shortlisted against this legislative criteria before being called for the first phase of assessment at the JMPD Academy. 

The physical fitness test consists of a 2.4 kilometre run. Men must complete this within 12 minutes and women within 17 minutes. The applicants who completed the run in the allotted time proceeded to the wall climbing activity.

Both of these tests are designed to determine whether that the applicants’ level of fitness meet basic criteria.

After undertaking the fitness test, applicants will be required to undertake an aptitude test, which will consist of a literacy and numeracy test. The applicants who fair positively in this regard, will then proceed to the interview section where their past experience and both the results of the aptitude and physical tests will indicate whether the applicant will be selected to be part of the 1500 MPO trainees.

A recruitment agency was appointed to assist with the process that was designed to be fair, transparent and to avoid any possible nepotism and corruption.

Whilst we are positively overwhelmed at the interests shown by the men and women who want to become protectors of our City, it is unfortunate that the process will eliminate nearly 63 500 applicants.

We want to encourage all applicant who did not qualify this time around, to continue with their efforts and hope that we will see their applications again during our next intake.

For more details please contact:

Luyanda Longwe

Stakeholder Manager: Office of the MMC for Public Safety

luyandalo@joburg.org.za

061 4960 536