Police Oversight and Community Safety
With regard to roadblocks by the SAPS in the province:
(1) (a) How many roadblocks were conducted by the SAPS in each policing district in the (i) 2024/25 and (ii) 2025/26 financial years and (b) what was the frequency per month;
(2) (a) how many joint roadblocks were conducted with other law enforcement agencies in each district, (b)(i) how many arrests resulted from SAPS roadblocks in the past three financial years, (ii) what categories of offences were recorded and (iii) what were the outcomes of these arrests, (c)(i) how many roadblock blood samples sub-mitted by the SAPS are currently outstanding and (ii) what is the age of the oldest outstanding sample, (d) how many cases in the past three years experienced delays due to late toxicology and (f)(i) what categories of offences were affected and (ii) how many cases were withdrawn as a result?
(1) (a) (i) The response to the question is summarised in Table 1 for ease of reference: see attached Annexure A.
(ii) The response to the question is summarised in Table 1 for ease of reference.
(b) The response to the question is summarised in Table 1 for ease of reference.
(2) (a) All roadblocks are carried out in collaboration with designated external role players to ensure comprehensive operational support and oversight.
(b)(i) The South African Police Service does not maintain a separate system functionality or reporting category that records arrests resulting specifically from roadblocks. Arrest data captured on SAPS systems is not disaggregated in a manner that allows for the identification of arrests linked to this specific operational activity. Accordingly, the requested information for the past three financial years is not available.
(ii) Because arrests resulting from roadblocks are not recorded as a distinct category, the SAPS is unable to identify or report on the categories of offences associated with such arrests.
(iii) Similarly, the outcomes of arrests cannot be linked specifically to roadblock operations. The SAPS therefore cannot provide the requested information.
(c) (i) The number of outstanding samples specifically linked to roadblock operations cannot be determined.
(ii) Because outstanding samples cannot be isolated by operational type (i.e., roadblocks), the SAPS is unable to determine the age of the oldest outstanding sample within this category.
(d) Because arrests resulting from roadblocks are not recorded as a distinct category, the SAPS is unable to identify the delays for specific roadblock toxicology reports. Also, the blood alcohol and toxicology analysis for SAPS casework is performed by the Department of Health's Forensic Chemistry Laboratories. SAPS is responsible for collecting, sealing, documenting, and submitting the samples, but the actual analysis and reporting are performed by the Department of Health.
(e) (i) The South African Police Service does not maintain a separate system functionality or reporting category that records arrests resulting specifically from roadblocks, the SAPS is unable to identify or report on the categories.
(ii) N/A
