SAPS 10111 crisis: Almost 1.8m calls go unanswered

One in five calls to the South African Police Service’s (SAPS) 10111 emergency number ended before callers could speak to an operator in the 2025/26 financial year.

Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia disclosed the figures in a parliamentary reply, revealing that SAPS received approximately 8.9 million calls nationwide.

Of these, 1 790 428 ended without callers reaching an operator – an average of nearly 5 000 abandoned calls a day.

SAPS emergency line under pressure

According to a report, the Midrand call centre in Gauteng recorded about 635 000 abandoned calls, while the Maitland centre in the Western Cape recorded 377 121.

In KwaZulu-Natal, the Port Shepstone centre recorded 103 976 abandoned calls, accounting for more than half of the calls it received.

SAPS attributed the high abandonment rate to staff shortages, lengthy waiting times and technological shortcomings.

Police classify calls as abandoned when callers hang up before reaching an operator or when the system disconnects them.

Hoax calls and general enquiries also place pressure on the service.

Four killed following dropped emergency call

The figures come months after a 10111 operator came under scrutiny following the deaths of four men in an alleged mob justice attack in Du Noon, Cape Town.

In August, a motorist reportedly contacted the emergency line after witnessing an assault near the N7.

The caller alleged that the operator repeatedly demanded an exact address despite receiving an approximate location before the call ended.

Authorities later discovered the burnt bodies of four men.

The incident prompted Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Police to call for a national review of staffing, training and equipment at 10111 call centres.

SAPS also indicated that it intended to take action over the handling of the call, subject to the outcome of its investigation.