Community Safety
With reference to police stations in the Western Cape:
- Whether the Lingelethu West Police Station (a) will become a fully fledged police station and (b) has been identified as a top priority station; if not, why not; if so, (i) when and (ii) what are the relevant details;
- whether there are any plans for an additional police station for Khayelitsha; if so, what are the relevant details;
- what (a) are the five priority stations earmarked by the SAPS for development in the Western Cape, (b) are the respective details of the plans involving each of these priority stations and (c) is the process behind identifying the top five priority police stations;
- what are the criteria used by the SAPS to prioritise the development of satellite police stations;
- whether the vacant posts at police stations that are critical and not earmarked to be abolished have been filled; if not, what are the relevant details; if so; how many?
1. The South African Police Service informed me as follows:
(1)(a) Lingelethu West Police Station is a fully fledged police station.
(b) Yes
(i) 2016/2017
(ii) Lingelethu West is currently number 4 on the Provincial Priority List.
(2) Yes. SAPS is currently in the planning and design phase for the construction of a new police station in Makhaza.
(3)(a) Kleinvlei, Belhar, Gugulethu, Lingelethu West, Kwanonqaba.
(b) Kleinvlei – DPW is currently busy with the site clearance for the new police station;
Belhar – SAPS is in the process of appointing consultants for the site clearance;
Gugulethu – DPW has completed the site clearance;
Lingelethu West – Needs assessment signed and submitted to Division: SCM to engage DPW for the site identified;
Kwanonqaba – SAPS is in negotiations with the Mossel Bay Municipality for the purchase of identified land.
(c) The SAPS Provincial Infrastructure Development Forum (PIDF) in consultation with the relevant internal role players determines the top priorities based on the following criteria:
- Current Population
- Expected population growth
- Crime Statistics
- Over utilization of current resources (buildings)
- Current condition of assets such as abnormal high maintenance costs related to buildings
- Health and Safety issues that is life threatening (related to buildings)
- Access to police stations is not in accordance to SAPS specifications
- Availability of funding
- Availability of land
(4) Criteria used:
- Expansion of current population growth
- Crime statistics
- Lack of accessibility to police services by the communities
- Availability of funding
- Availability of suitable site
(5) No posts have been earmarked to be abolished.
A total of 400 vacant posts that are critical at police stations were filled during December 2018. A process is currently underway to identify the remaining critical vacancies within the province.
