The Portfolio Committee on Police oversight report on police stations in KwaZulu-Natal revealed shocking details of the state of the police stations in the province. 

The committee inspected several police station facilities including Inanda, Verulam, Mthatha, Durban Central and the Forensic Science Laboratory in Amanzimtoti recently. The committee recommended that the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) conduct assessments and infrastructure upgrades to these stations urgently.

The committee also found police vehicles were in disrepair and are in short supply at stations. The committee said there was also a need for a faster turnaround time for police vehicle repairs. 

Committee chairperson Ian Cameron said the Mthatha SAPS needed a permanent detective office within the current precinct and there was a lack of appropriate vehicle types for the terrain. Cameron said the frustration on the ground for these members is significant and that the committee will put pressure to improve the conditions for police.

“The SAPS should implement a compulsory licensing and driver readiness programme to ensure that all operational staff are authorised and trained to drive state vehicles. The police must implement caseload management strategies, including redistributing cases, hiring additional detectives and leveraging case prioritisation frameworks. 

Cameron said the SAPS should expedite the establishment of a second police station in the Inanda area and engage with the National Prosecuting Authority to open a local court to address the growing population and rising crime rates. 

“In the absence of essential services like water in Inanda police station and the other stations, should be addressed. While the committee welcomes the availability of water in tanks, permanent solutions must be explored such as the pumping systems between tanks and the plumbing system at stations. Streetlights should be maintained in high-crime areas,” Cameron said. 

The committee also called for innovative policing strategies to address crime in informal settlements focusing on community orientated solutions to improve safety in these high-risk areas 

Cameron said it was a very positive visit to Inanda SAPS to see the improvement in crime statistics and the hands-on approach by members. 

“We were pleased with the very positive community involvement at Inanda SAPS. The entire community policing forum and non-governmental organisations were present speaking in one voice,” he said. 

The committee noted the dilapidated condition of Verulam SAPS, including detention cells and lack of storage facilities. The committee also noted that inmates were vandalising infrastructure in the holding cells and with the limited budgets it took time for the SAPS to conduct repairs.  

The committee found flooding of detention cells, malfunctioning lifts, broken air conditioning and faulty generators at Durban Central SAPS. Cameron said more than half of the cells cannot be used at the moment for several reasons including flooding and plumbing issues

The committee called for an increase in funding resources for the K9 Unit to ensure it is fully equipped to perform critical tasks such as detection of drugs, explosives, firearms as well as supporting search and rescue operations. 

“The police should accelerate the hiring of a full-time veterinarian for the K9 unit to ensure that the police dogs receive timely, specialised medical care locally, reducing the reliance on external services and improving their operation readiness. The age of the dogs were also of concern,” Cameron said.  

Cameron said they hope to overcome construction bottlenecks with the completion of the SAPS Ntuzuma strategic surveillance centre. Cameron commended the SAPS in KZN for the way in which the project was coming to fruition. He said once completed the centre should be used as a blueprint for crime hotspots in other parts of the country. 

The committee described the visit to the Forensic science lab in Amanzimtoti as structurally unpleasant. The committee called for a full investigation into the lease agreement which was costing R500,000 per month. Cameron said the building was only 50% operational but the rental fees were questionable. He said the planned relocation of the forensic services to a building in the Durban Central area needed a timeline and cost breakdown. 

Committee member David Skosana said the rental was concerning and needed to be looked into. Committee member Leigh‐Ann Mathys said the state of police buildings was reported on previously but nothing had been done.

zainul.dawood@inl.co.za

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