There is abundant evidence of high levels of corruption in the South African Police Service (SAPS), metro and traffic police. Police corruption affects all ranks and many police activities. It is a key contributor to low levels of public trust in police, as well as poor policing outcomes. With proper leadership and clear strategic interventions, corruption can be tackled, with many benefits for the SAPS and policing in South Africa.

About the authors
David Bruce is an independent researcher on policing and a consultant with the Institute for Security Studies (ISS). At the time of writing, Gareth Newham was head of the Justice and Violence Prevention Programme at the ISS. He is now a special advisor to the Minister of Police.