SAPS to hand over 1 087 new vehicles to high crime stations
Police say 1 087 new sedans and double-cab bakkies will go to 140 high crime stations and specialised units, starting with a handover led by General Fannie Masemola.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) is adding 1 087 vehicles to its fleet. National Commissioner General Fannie Masemola is due to hand them over on Thursday 29 October 2026, according to SAnews.
The fleet is made up of sedans and double-cab bakkies. Police say the aim is to strengthen policing capacity at grassroots level.
Where the vehicles are going
In a statement issued ahead of the handover, the police said the vehicles will be allocated to several parts of the Service:
- 140 high crime police stations
- Detectives
- Visible Policing
- Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Units
- 10111 Call Centres
- Flying Squads
The statement did not say which 140 stations will receive vehicles, how many each station or unit will get, or what the vehicles cost.
What police say the vehicles are for
According to the police, the new fleet forms part of continuing efforts to improve frontline service delivery and operational efficiency. It is also meant to increase police visibility and boost the Service’s crime-fighting capacity.
The police described the handover as an investment aimed at improving the operational readiness of officers. They said it should also improve response times and strengthen investigations, so that communities receive effective and efficient policing services.
What this means for communities
For people living in areas with high crime, the practical test will be whether the extra vehicles show up in daily policing. Police say the focus is on faster response, more visible patrols and better support for investigators. Those are the areas that residents usually notice first.
The inclusion of the FCS Units and the 10111 Call Centres in the allocation is also worth noting. These units deal with family violence, crimes against children and sexual offences, and with emergency calls from the public.
Residents who want to know whether their local station is one of the 140 can ask the station commander or their community police forum. The police statement did not publish a list of stations, so those are the places to get that information.
The police have not given any further detail on timelines for deploying the vehicles beyond the handover itself.
This story is based on reporting by SAnews.
