More than 1 000 SAPS Vehicles in Gauteng are out-of-service
Lenasia has 10 out-of-service vehicles and only nine operational vehicles
The delivery of police services has been severely affected in Gauteng as there are 1169 out-of-service police vehicles. The inadequate number of police vehicles puts the safety of the residents at risk, leaving South African Police Service (SAPS) officers with fewer vehicles for visibility patrol, detective services, and support services. DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Community Safety, Michael Shackleton MPL said this is unacceptable as it has resulted in police not being able to attend emergency crime scenes and has negatively impacted the work of the police officers.
This information was revealed by the Minister of Police, Bheki Cele in a written reply to the DA’s questions in the National Assembly. According to Minister Cele, there are 569 out-of-service vehicles in visible policing, 491 out-of-service vehicles in detective services, and 109 out-of-service vehicles in support services. In total, there are 1169 out-of-service vehicles in Gauteng. There are police stations severely affected by a lack of adequate vehicles in visible policing, detective services, and support services. Vereeniging has 14 out-of-service vehicles for visible policing with only 20 operational vehicles; Lenasia has 10 out-of-service vehicles and only nine operational vehicles; De Deur has 10 out-of-service vehicles, and 11 operational vehicles and Krugersdorp has 12 out-of-service vehicles and only 22 operational vehicles.
In terms of detective services vehicles, Mondeor has nine out-of-service vehicles and 12 operational vehicles; Ekangala has seven out-of-service vehicles and seven operational vehicles, and Bramley has five out-of-service vehicles and five operational vehicles. In terms of support services, Laudium, Dube, Doornkop, Eersterust, and Vaal Marina all have one out-of-service vehicle and one operational vehicle.
Michael Shackleton said, “The DA will continue to put pressure on the Gauteng MEC for Community Safety, Faith Mazibuko, to urgently liaise with her national counterpart Minister of Police, Bheki Cele to ensure that 1169 out-of-service police vehicles are immediately attended to and brought back to their respective police stations to prevent and fight crime in the province.” The current national government must provide adequate resources to the SAPS.
