“They Forgot This Code of Conduct”: SAPS Officer Reciting Police Code of Conduct Gets Mzansi Talking

• One officer stepped forward and confidently delivered something that caught many people off guard
• A deeper issue around police culture and accountability quietly entered the conversation
• Social media users went from praise to tough questions within minutes

A South African Police Service (SAPS) officer confidently recited SAPS codes of conduct from memory during what appeared to be a police gathering. Mzansi shared their thoughts on the moment.

In the TikTok clip shared by @jabulanemaroth on 22 June 2026, other officers stand in formation while one focuses on reciting the principles accurately. He begins by saying:

"I commit myself to the creation of a safe and secure environment for all the people in South Africa by participating in endeavours to address the risk of crime, preventing action which may threaten the safety or security of the community, and investigating criminal conduct which endangers the safety or security of the community."

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The SAPS code of conduct commits officers to serving communities, acting honestly, and fighting corruption. Members are also expected to bring lawbreakers to justice regardless of who they are.

Keeping quiet can break those codes.

Police officers are expected to report wrongdoing when they see it. Rules within SAPS state that members must actively help to stop corruption and report misconduct, fraud, and abuse of power.

But the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) recently explained that many officers stay quiet because speaking up can bring trouble. Some fear punishment, isolation from colleagues or even danger to themselves and their families.

The ISS noted that South Africa's challenge is not a lack of laws or codes. The concern is that some officers may feel reporting colleagues comes with risks that outweigh the rewards. Even though rules say corruption should be reported immediately, some officers fear backlash if they speak out.

They also found that when people do report problems, little action is sometimes taken. If officers believe nothing will change, they may decide keeping quiet is safer.

View the TikTok video below:

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Mzansi questions integrity

Conversations around police integrity began on @jabulanemaroth's page. As some viewers felt the moment represented what policing should look like, others questioned whether those standards match public experiences.

Refiloe Motlhabane said:

"I trust you, I salute 🙏 letona laka. I respect you so much"

rakx wrote:

"Not a lot of police can recite it like that. Thank you, Sgt 😊"

MaLady commented:

"I respect you, Colleague, 🫡"

Chakao6 said:

"I used to respect this uniform"

Criticise: davesee470 wrote:

"Unfortunately, no one trusts that uniform anymore"

Thanda reflected:

"They forgot this code of conduct."

BraB noted:

"Tjo the whole station is old-aged 😅😂😅like me"

More Briefly News on SAPS

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• SAPS suspended four officers linked to the controversial Medicare24 tender as investigations widened into alleged irregularities in the police health services contract and possible breaches of bid processes.
• An alleged foreign national sparked debate online after reportedly returning home and finding his furniture placed outside his residence, with the incident reigniting conversations around housing, community tensions, and treatment of migrants in South Africa.

Source: Briefly News