New directions or half measures? Organisational response to gender inequity in the South African Police Service

Abstract

Since the end of apartheid in 1994, the South African Police Service (SAPS) has been confronted with the complex task of organisational transformation. This study explores the process of gender equitable reform in the SAPS in the post-apartheid period. Utilising a gendered organisations approach, this article focuses on the gendered nature of power in the police. Through an assessment of SAPS reform initiatives and their impacts, it argues that despite impressive advances in terms of representation at all levels of the organisation, systemic gender discrimination persists.