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The South African Police Service (SAPS) in KwaZulu-Natal now faces issues affecting its mandate to protect and serve the community.
A recent oversight inspection of SAPS facilities throughout the province, conducted as part of a KZN Legislature programme, exposed that various police stations’ are crumbling and are near virtual collapse.
During the two-day visits, the KZN Provincial Government officials established that KZN police are not receiving the necessary support to carry out their mandate fully.
In response, the Democratic Alliance (DA) claims that certain KZN police stations lack both vehicles and officers to respond to crime.
Additionally, other stations visited were discovered to be completely uninhabitable, with significant infrastructure challenges.
The DA has identified the following issues:
Infrastructure
- Empangeni Dog Unit Holding cells are appalling, with no regard for basic human rights. 20 prisoners are crammed into a cell designed for 12 people. In addition, the kennels are in ruin, leaking and in desperate need of repairs.
- Kwamakhutha SAPS – Buildings are old and falling apart, with insufficient space, except for the victim support, which is well-run.
- Uthukela – Amangwe SAPS – The station comprises 95% park homes.
- Kokstad SAPS – The station has no proper infrastructure or space.
- Dududu SAPS – The DA claims that the conditions at this facility are atrocious.
- Hibberdene SAPS – No maintenance at all, with no fire extinguishers provided.
- Taylor’s Halt SAPS – Consists of park homes erected in 1994, which are now dilapidated. There are rats everywhere, the toilets do not work, and there is no kitchen or water.
- Umlazi SAPS – The holding cells are closed due to plumbing issues.
- Otsikeni SAPS – There is no proper road infrastructure and no network at the station. The phones are always down, making it difficult for community members to contact the station.
- Bergville SAPS – The generator is still not operational.
Capacity:
- uThukela-Amangwe – The Mayor and Speaker’s bodyguards are armed with more powerful weapons than the entire police station.
- Furthermore, the DA emphasises that there are only five officers per shift, which is insufficient to deal with the firepower of stock theft and vehicle theft criminals. In addition, there is no backup. There are also only holding cells and no detention cells.
- Taylor’s Halt SAPS – There are no holding cells or victim services.
- Ntambanana SAPS – Two detectives each have at least 100 dockets, most of which are serious murder and stock theft cases.
- Plessislaer SAPS – Despite its large coverage area, this station continues to be a source of concern.
- Bergville SAPS – The department has a staff complement of 40, which is 14 people short. There are also no crime prevention officers.
Vehicles:
- uThukela-Amangwe SAPS – Because the state tow truck is broken, stolen vehicles are simply parked and left at the station. Only two of the ten SAPS vehicles are operational. One vehicle has been without parts for six months.
- Franklin SAPS – There are vehicles with more than 500 000 kilometres on the clock.
- The Kwamakhutha SAPS lacks vehicles, whereas Ntambanana has one old vehicle for the detective.
- Bergville SAPS – Vehicles are unsuitable for the terrain. One vehicle had been in the SAPS garage for 155 days, another for 124 days, and a third for 77 days.
The vehicle used to transport prisoners has broken down, and repairs have been delegated to back-alley mechanics.
As a result, the DA is deeply concerned by these findings, which demonstrate unequivocally that SAPS conditions in our province are a disgrace. “This is the organisation tasked with the critical job of protecting citizens, but it has been neglected to the point where it is nearly completely ineffective.”
This begs the question – how does the government expect these men and women to do their jobs properly when they do not even have the necessary tools of the trade?
DA KZN legislature chief whip Zwakele Mncwango adds, “If anything, the July 2021 riots should serve as a reminder to this ANC-led government of what can happen when law enforcement is not prioritised. There can be no hope of reducing crime when this is what our SAPS has become and while criminals have more resources than officers themselves. The outcome of this is that our communities will continue to be burdened by high crime rates and that they will continue to take matters into their own hands to protect their own.”
Regrettably, the DA notes that most of the issues raised during the oversights are not new.
“They are the same ones that are seen every year during these visits. This is a strong indication that key departments responsible for maintenance of government facilities are fast asleep on the job. This is a clear failure to deliver on their mandate,” the DA points out in a statement.
The DA now calls on Peggy Nkonyeni, MEC for Community Safety in KZN, to fight for the rights of law enforcement.
“If she and the province’s political leadership are serious about the safety of KZN’s people, then they must ensure that funds are provided to restore dignity to our law enforcement members,” the DA concludes.
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