“A Thin Line of Resilience”: South African Police Service Support Services for Murder Detectives – A Case Study of a selected Police Precinct in Durban, South Africa
Nonhle Tracey Sibisi 
, Nomathemba Nomakhosi Sibisi , Slindile Ngcece , Khetsiwe Nkosi & Zandile Faith Mpofu
Issue: Vol.6 No.12 Article 14 pp. 3077 – 3093
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.202561214 | Published online 25th November, 2025
© 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Mental health and work-life balance have been increasingly recognised as a goal of law enforcement agencies worldwide. Murder detectives are frequently exposed to traumatic and brutal crime scenes, which can gradually lead to burnout, emotional distress, and decreased capacity to cope with stress. This study explored available counselling and support services provided to SAPS murder detectives. A case study design and a qualitative approach were used within the constructivist paradigm. Data were collected by in-depth interviews with eight (n = 8) murder detectives and two (n = 2) employees who were purposively sampled from a selected precinct in Durban. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. The study revealed that although counselling and support services are available in SAPS, their use is limited and this was attributed to challenges such as not having enough trained health and wellness practitioners, high workload among health and wellness practitioners, limited knowledge of the services among detectives, workload which prevents detectives from prioritising counselling services, confidentiality concerns and religious barriers. Notwithstanding the challenges, murder detectives who utilise support services reported positive perceptions of SAPS support services. Based on the findings, it is recommended that employee health and wellness services be strengthened to provide immediate support to detectives. While stress is unavoidable, effective support structures should be in place to equip detectives with effective coping mechanisms. State the contribution of this study to scholarship.
Keywords: South African Police Service, Counselling, Support Services, Murder Detectives, Employee Health and Wellness
Adeoye‐Olatunde, Omolola A, and Nicole L Olenik. “Research and Scholarly Methods: Semi‐structured Interviews.” Journal of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy 4, no. 10 (2021): 1358–67.
Adewale, Osibanjo Omotayo, and Adeniji Adenike Anthonia. “Impact of Organizational Culture on Human Resource Practices: A Study of Selected Nigerian Private Universities.” Journal of Competitiveness 5, no. 4 (2013): 115–33.
Bakker, Arnold B, and Evangelia Demerouti. “Job Demands–Resources Theory: Taking Stock and Looking Forward.” Journal of Occupational Health Psychology 22, no. 3 (2017): 273.
Borien, J. D. “Evaluation of the Differences in Perception toward Stress and Trauma Intervention Strategies in the South African Police Service.” University of the Western Cape, 2020.
Boshoff, Pieter, and Herman Strydom. “Exploring Programmes to Support Police Officials Exposed to Trauma.” Southern African Journal of Social Work and Social Development 27, no. 1 (2015): 89–117.
Bouza, Anthony V. The Police Mystique: An Insider’s Look at Cops, Crime, and the Criminal Justice System. New York: Springer, 2013.
Cronje, Johan Herman, and Makhosonke Julias Vilakazi. “Secondary Traumatic Stress in Police Detective Officers Dealing with Complainants of Sexual Crimes.” South African Journal of Psychology 50, no. 4 (2020): 520–29.
Demerouti, Evangelia, and Arnold B Bakker. “The Job Demands-Resources Model: Challenges for Future Research.” SA Journal of Industrial Psychology 37, no. 2 (2011): 1–9.
Dipela, Mmaphuti Percy, and Sello Sithole. “Under-Utilisation of Internal Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) Services by the South African Police Service in Lephalale, Limpopo Province.” Social Work 57, no. 4 (2021): 486–98.
Hofer, Meret S, and Shannon M Savell. “‘There Was No Plan in Place to Get Us Help’: Strategies for Improving Mental Health Service Utilization among Law Enforcement.” Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology 36, no. 3 (2021): 543–57.
Joffe, Helene. “Thematic Analysis.” In Qualitative Research Methods in Mental Health and Psychotherapy, 209–23. Wiley, 2011. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119973249.ch15.
Jonker, Bouwer E., Lene Ilyna Graupner, and Lizelle Rossouw. “An Intervention Framework to Facilitate Psychological Trauma Management in High-Risk Occupations.” Frontiers in Psychology 11 (March 27, 2020). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00530.
Lesener, Tino, Burkhard Gusy, and Christine Wolter. “The Job Demands-Resources Model: A Meta-Analytic Review of Longitudinal Studies.” Work & Stress 33, no. 1 (2019): 76–103.
Lincoln, Yvonna, and Egon G Guba. Naturalistic Inquiry. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications, 1985.
Maabela, J. Perceptions of Police Officers on Counselling and Support Services in the SAPS . University of Limpopo, 2015.
Mabunda, R. V. The Role of the Employee Assistance Programme in Managing Workplace Violence: The Experience of South African Police Service Members in the Greater Tzaneen Municipality. University of Pretoria, 2019.
Mona, Gift Gugu, Moses John Chimbari, and Charles Hongoro. “A Systematic Review on Occupational Hazards, Injuries and Diseases among Police Officers Worldwide: Policy Implications for the South African Police Service.” Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology 14, no. 1 (2019): 2.
Mushwana, Makhawukana R V, Indiran Govender, and Kathryn Nel. “Stress and Coping Mechanisms of Officers of the South African Police Service Based in Tzaneen, Limpopo Province, South Africa.” South African Journal of Psychiatry 25, no. 1 (2019): 1–7.
Papazoglou, Konstantinos, and Brooke McQuerrey Tuttle. “Fighting Police Trauma: Practical Approaches to Addressing Psychological Needs of Officers.” Sage Open 8, no. 3 (July 22, 2018). https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244018794794.
Parliament of the Republic of South Africa. “High Case Load for Detectives Worries Police Committee.” Parliament News, 2023. https://www.parliament.gov.za/news/high-case-load-detectives-worries-police-committee.
Rajin, Jeanie. “Employee Assistance Programme in the South African Police Service : A Case Study of Moroka Police Station.” University of South Africa, 2012.
Ramatsoma, Tebogo Matsie Evelyn. “Exploring Helping Professions’ Experiences of Psychological Trauma Management Programmes within the South African Police Services.” North-West University (South Africa), 2022.
Sibisi, Nonhle, Kemist Shumba, Slindile Ngcece, and Nirmala D Gopal. “‘Brutal Murder Scenes Are Traumatising, and They’re Mostly Indelible’: Occupational Stressors and Mental Health among South African Police Service Murder Detectives at a Selected Station in Durban, South Africa.” Cogent Social Sciences 8, no. 1 (2022): 2123146.
South African Police Service. “Annual Report of the Department of Police for the Period 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023,” 2023. https://www.saps.gov.za/about/stratframework/annual_report/2022_2023/Annual-Report-2022-23-final-draft-2023-10-12.pdf.
Statistics South Africa. “ Statistical Release: Census 2022,” 2022.
Terblanche, Lourie, and Andre Van Wyk. “Critical Incidents and Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM)-an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) Perspective.” Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk 50, no. 1 (2014): 19–37.
Thaba, Ramaesela Linkie. Organisational Culture and Employee Health and Wellness Programme Service Delivery in South African Police Service in Limpopo. University of Pretoria (South Africa), 2018.
The Witness. “ Lack of Support Cited for Mental Health Crisis in SAPS,” February 20, 2023. https://www.citizen.co.za/witness/news/lack-of-support-cited-for-mental-health-crisis-in-saps.
Tome, Jessica Dos Santos, and Leoni van der Vaart. “Work Pressure, Emotional Demands and Work Performance among Information Technology Professionals in South Africa: The Role of Exhaustion and Depersonalisation.” SA Journal of Human Resource Management 18 (2020): 12.
Tucker, Jane M. “Police Officer Willingness to Use Stress Intervention Services: The Role of Perceived Organizational Support (POS), Confidentiality and Stigma.” International Journal of Emergency Mental Health and Human Resilience 17, no. 1 (2015): 304.
Violanti, John. Occupation under Siege: Resolving Mental Health Crises in Police Work. Vol. 1. Charles C Thomas Publisher, 2021.
Wassermann, Ariami, Deon Meiring, and Jurgen Renier Becker. “Stress and Coping of Police Officers in the South African Police Service.” South African Journal of Psychology 49, no.1(2019): 97–108.
Dr. Nonhle Tracey Sibisi is a multidisciplinary researcher and strategist with expertise spanning criminology, community safety, policing oversight and social justice. She has authored and co-authored several peer-reviewed publications and has worked across government, academia, and research institutions in roles focused on policy development, data analysis, monitoring and evaluation, and applied research. Her current work centres on integrating evidence-based approaches into practice and addressing national challenges through interdisciplinary research.
Dr. Nomakhosi Nomathemba Sibisi is a Criminology specialist at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, with expertise in violence studies, correctional systems, and bullying dynamics across educational and community settings. Her academic work focuses on understanding the roots of violent behaviour, strengthening rehabilitation models within correctional facilities, and developing evidence based interventions that support youth, families, and vulnerable groups. As a committed lecturer and researcher, Dr Sibisi is deeply passionate about shaping critical, socially conscious criminologists. She has contributed to collaborative research projects, co-authored publications with emerging scholars, and actively supports the academic growth of interns and students under her supervision.
Slindile Ngcece holds a PhD in Criminology and Forensic Studies (UKZN). She is a growing researcher and an academic currently serving as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of South Africa, College of Law. She is also a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society.
Khetsiwe Emmah Nkosi holds a Master’s degree in Counselling Psychology and is a registered Counselling Psychologist with the Health Professions Council of South Africa. Her research interests include trauma exposure and emotional well-being among police officers, psychosocial support systems in high-stress professions, and the intersection of mental health and resilience in South African contexts. Her work aligns closely with the study’s interdisciplinary focus on occupational stress and the support structures available to detectives.
Zandile Faith Mpofu holds a PhD in Criminology and Forensic Studies. She has been recognized as one of the top 15% scholars and is a member of the Golden Key International Society. She has worked as a Lecturer and Research Supervisor in the Criminology and Forensic Studies Discipline at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and has also worked as a mentor within the Academic Monitoring and Support Program at the same university. Zandile has worked as a module developer, independent marker, and moderator at the Independent Institute of Education (Monash) in South Africa. Her current research interests are forensic criminology, fraud, burglary, restorative justice, criminal law, crime prevention, Rehabilitation, Penology and Corrections and Gender Based Violence. Her field of academic interests are Victimology and Trauma Studies, Transitional and Restorative Justice in Post-Conflict Societies, Policing, Crime Prevention, and Social Control, Restorative Justice and Community-Based Approaches, Penology, Criminal Justice, Offender Profiling, Fraud Examining, Gender Based Violence.
Sibisi, Nonhle Tracey, Nomathemba Nomakhosi Sibisi, Slindile Ngcece, Khetsiwe Nkosi, and Zandile Faith Mpofu. ““A Thin Line of Resilience”: South African Police Service Support Services for Murder Detectives – A Case Study of a selected Police Precinct in Durban, South Africa.” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 6, no. 12 (2025): 3077 -3093, https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.202561214.
© 2025 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
