Dying diggers of Namaqualand need saving
| by Ofentse Mokae MPL – DA Northern Cape Provincial Spokesperson on Transport, Safety & Liaison |
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| Date: 24 October 2019 |
| Release: Immediate |
| The Democratic Alliance in the Northern Cape is calling on the MEC of Transport, Safety and Liaison, Nontobeko Vilakazi, to urgently address the lack of critical resources at police stations in the province.This comes after recent oversight inspections to Barkly West and Delportshoop police stations revealed that SAPS is facing a dire lack of vehicles.At the time of the inspection, police officials at Delportshoop station did not have a single operational vehicle to address crime in the community. This was due to the high mileage on the allocated vehicle, and a recent accident, which has seen the vehicle become immobilized for over a month already. Download pictures here and here. The police in Delportshoop have to render policing services to over 200 farms plus smaller surrounding towns. Policing the vast area without adequate vehicles is impossible and makes locals vulnerable to criminal elements wanting to burgle rural establishments. Even more so, given that criminals also monitor the movement of the single police vehicle, when it is operational.Police officers are concerned about the broken-down police vehicle, also indicating that some of them have to make use of an unmarked vehicle to perform their duties.The police also expressed fear for the residents, as their own vulnerabilities are making the local communities vulnerable too.Barkly West police station has similar vehicle-related concerns. The vehicles allocated to this police station go without servicing for long periods at a time.Just last week, it also came to light that Brandvlei police station is equipped with a single police van, making policing impossible.The DA will write to MEC Vilakazi requesting her to urgently take up the shortage of police vehicles in the province. We will also be submitting parliamentary questions in this regard.Our police stations need to be equipped with the necessary tools of trade. Without this, they are left handicapped and unable to fight crime. |
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