The South African Police had found its remit expanding throughout the period of minority rule in South Africa, taking on an increasing number of tasks that would be undertaken by the army in normal circumstances. The South African Police became experts at counter-insurgency and crowd control. They increasingly looked military, with military style uniforms and equipment, but in blue rather than the usual nutria brown used by the army. The patterns of uniform were virtually identical to that used by the SADF and today we are looking at a combat jacket issued to the South African Police: 

This jacket dates from the 1980s and features four pockets, two breast pockets with pointed flaps: 

And another pair of skirt pockets with expansion pleats- note also the hidden buttons: 

Removable epaulettes are fitted at the shoulders with pointed ends to them: 

Although the collar is most often worn open, a tab and button allows it to be secured to the neck to better protect the wearer when on public order duties: 

Each cuff has a button that allows it to be drawn tight and secured, again essential for potentially dangerous public order duties: 

A label inside the jacket indicates that it was manufactured in 1987: 

I have a small selection of South African Police uniform now, and whilst it is not a major area of collecting it is an interesting adjunct to the main SADF collection and the far more paramilitary role played by the South African Police does make it rather more appropriate than most police forces.