South Africa’s police are moving to rebuild their collapsing air wing, with acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia confirming that 15 new helicopters will be purchased at an estimated cost of R1.1 billion.

The procurement, outlined in a parliamentary reply to Rise Mzansi MP Makashule Gana, comes amid mounting concern over the dwindling aerial capacity of the South African Police Service (SAPS).

Of the 38 aircraft in the SAPS fleet, only 11 remain operational. The ministry said the new aircraft will be acquired in phases: “as and when funding becomes available.”

The Common Sense has reliably been told that the number of operational SAPS aircraft is even lower than the official number supplied by the minister.

The state of the air wing, long neglected by budget shortfalls and slow maintenance turnarounds, reflects a broader institutional strain across South Africa’s criminal justice system.

KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi told Parliament last week that law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies are under: “severe strain,” battling resource shortages, poor co-ordination, and leadership instability.

In the Eastern Cape, one of the country’s most violent provinces, only a single SAPS helicopter is operational. This shortfall drew criticism after the deadly Mthatha floods in June, when air support was slow to respond. Gana said the lack of aerial capability: “does not bode well for the fight against crime.”