The eThekwini municipality executive council has approved, in a landmark move aimed at strengthening the wellbeing and professional capacity of its Metro Police Service, the establishment of dedicated psychological, employee, and health wellness services.
These developments are in line with the Firearms Control Act Regulations of 2004, that mandates psychological and wellness support for law enforcement officers.
The new wellness initiative will roll out digital mental health support platforms, integrate mental health education into training curricula, and launch awareness campaigns. Importantly, these programmes will be made mandatory across the Metro Police Service.
This decision follows a pilot study that assessed 260 Metro Police officers across ranks and genders. The findings revealed widespread mental health challenges, including moderate to severe depression, anxiety, PTSD, substance abuse, and issues linked to gender-based violence and femicide. These conditions are largely attributed to constant exposure to traumatic incidents such as violent crimes, fatal accidents, and drug-related operations.
Recognising the need for specialised support, particularly among traffic officers operating in high-stress environments, the municipality is taking decisive steps to offer long-term, structured interventions.
In addition to mental health services, the Council has also approved the development of a state-of-the-art Metro Police Training College. This follows a directive from the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), that requires all traffic officer qualifications to be upgraded to NQF Level 6. The change extends the current one-year training programme to a full three-year academic and practical course.
To meet these national standards and reduce reliance on expensive external training providers, the new college will consolidate multiple specialist training services under one roof. These will include:
Zandile Myeni, Deputy Mayor and Chairperson of the Safety and Emergency Portfolio Committee said the college will also serve as a national and regional hub, providing accredited training to other South African municipalities and potentially to SADC countries.
To fund the project, the Municipality will issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) to secure a private partner to construct, operate, and manage the facility. Ownership and control will revert to the Metro Police Service after an agreed management period.
Currently, Durban is the only city in South Africa offering student officers a full salary of R17 000 during training. However, with the extended three-year training model, this is no longer financially viable. Student officers will now receive a R7000 monthly stipend, while the remaining R10000 per student will go toward operational costs, including accommodation, meals, security, and administration.
“This model allows us to fund a world-class institution responsibly, support our student officers, and remain a leader in law enforcement training,” said Councillor Myeni.
Once finalised, a detailed implementation plan will be presented to Council for approval.