The South African government states that the South African Police Service (SAPS) paid a total of R1.331 billion to senior managers during the 2025/2026 financial year. The figure comes as officials move to dismiss claims reported in the media that each of the country’s 722 top police officials earns about R5 million per year.
According to the government’s response, the stated total payout refers to compensation provided to senior managers across SAPS for the specified financial year, rather than a per-person amount of R5 million for each of the 722 listed top police officials. The government’s position is that the widely circulated calculation or allegation does not align with the confirmed spending reported for the year.
The dispute centres on how leadership costs are characterised and calculated, with the government pointing to the aggregate amount paid to senior management as the basis for assessing the scale of SAPS leadership expenditure. The matter relates to broader questions about public-sector spending on senior officials.
