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Police Reform – 1993

The 1993 Accord calls for police reforms that included the formation of a Police Board, changes in the leadership and composition of the forces, subject to negotiations, and legislative and legal reforms. At the time of negotiations, there were eleven police forces in South Africa, the largest was the South African Police (SAP) at 112,000 members. In total there were over 140,000 police personnel in South Africa.¹

During negotiations, a Police Board was established in an agreement which would be later reaffirmed by the 1993 Accord. The Police Board was formed on September 14, 1991, and was to monitor and advise the police force during the political transition. The 1993 interim constitution included more detailed provisions that were to substantially reform the police force.

1. Janine Rauch, “Police Reform and South Africa’s Transition,” (conference paper presented at the South African Institute for International Affairs, 2000), 1.