by Reinette Liebenberg, MPL – DA Northern Cape Constituency Head for Central North ![]() Date: 12 October 2020Release: Immediate Note to Editors: Please find attached soundbites in English & Afrikaans from Reinette Liebenberg, MPL. A shortage of police officials with drivers’ licenses is hampering police services in and around Vosburg, causing concern for the state of rural safety in the area.The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Northern Cape is in effect calling on the MEC of Transport, Safety and Liaison, Nomandla Bloem, to put pressure on the South African Police Service (SAPS) to ensure that the matter is resolved. This comes after the DA has learnt that approximately 80% of police officials appointed in Vosburg, are not in possession of a valid driver’s license. It goes without saying that this impedes police mobility and effectivity.The DA is further aware that some of the officials’ learner’s licenses have previously expired. Given that officials are sent to a centre in Tshwane , where they complete their learners and driver’s licenses, this has resulted in fruitless and wasteful expenditure because the officials will again have to redo their learners licenses, at the cost of the state. The question also arises as to why it is not compulsory for police officials to obtain drivers licenses on their own time and at their own expense?In addition to police services being compromised because of officials not being in possession of driver’s licenses, many of the police officials have also been appointed from surrounding towns like Britstown, Loxton and Carnarvon, where they still reside. Given the nature of policing, this is having an undesirable outcome in cases where officials become ill or unavailable on short notice. This further affects planning at stations and increasingly sees patrol shifts being immobilised due to a lack of sufficient officials to double-up for patrols and to physically drive the police vehicles, or to man the stations. This ultimately impacts on police response times, which threatens their own safety and can be detrimental in emergencies.At a time when crime in rural areas, particularly stock theft in the Vosburg area, seems to be on the up and up, there is an increased need for active and visible policing in the platteland.The DA will submit our concerns to MEC Bloem in writing, asking for her speedy response on this matter.Policing needs to get mobile again if SAPS is in any way serious about tackling rural crime in the Northern Cape. Media Enquiries Reinette Liebenberg, MPLDA Northern Cape Constituency Head for Central North071 7332 640 Shelley de WittNC Media Manager082 847 1387 |
