As part of its legislative mandate, the Gauteng Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Community Safety visited the Vanderbijilpark and Evaton Police stations on Thursday, 20 February 2020 to assess the state and capacity of these police stations to fight crime within the communities they serve.
During these oversight visits, the Committee established that both police stations had no holding cells to detain crime suspects and had to use holding cells in surrounding police stations which are far apart to detain suspects.
This unfortunate situation creates unnecessary inconveniences in the ability of these police stations to fight crime in their communities as Officers have to drive distances to be able to detain suspects in other police stations instead of being stationed in their communities and fighting crime.
The Committee is of the view that the lack of holding cells and the current arrangement undermines the strength and capacity of these police stations to effectively combat crime in their areas. This also impacts negatively on the morale of Officers as it might discourage them from apprehending suspected criminals.
The Committee will as a matter of urgency, bring this matter to the attention of the Gauteng MEC for Community Safety Faith Mazibuko and the Provincial Police Commissioner Liutenant-General Elias Mawela to ensure that swift action is taken to rectify this.
The Committee was further shocked by the dilapidated state of the Evaton police stations which is in an extremely poor condition and does not resemble a place that houses law enforcement officers and provide necessary services to members of the Evaton community.
The Committee will raise this matter with the relevant authorities to ensure that a new police station is speedily provided in Evaton which will boost the morale of Officers to fight crime and restore public confidence in law enforcement in the area.
ISSUED BY GPL’S MEDIA SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON COMMUNITY SAFETY, HONOURABLE MAPITI MATSENA
For interview requests with the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee please contact: Mr Thebe Khumalo on 011 498 5948 / 072 266 1021 / TKhumalo@gpl.gov.za
