On 11 November 2020 the Democratic Alliance (DA) in Limpopo conducted an oversight inspection to the Tshilwhavhusiku SAPS outside Makhado following virtual meetings between the Community Safety portfolio committee and the SAPS during the lockdown. see photo here
The DA is concerned about the persistent lack of water at Tshilwhavhusiku police station, which serves 19 villages, which is now a direct impediment to SAPS’ mandate to ensure the safety of the community.
The Tshilwavhusiku police station currently receives 20 000 litres per month from the nearby Airforce base, but this water does not run through the pipeline.
The lack of water prompted the SAPS station to surrender their housing quarters back to the Department of Public Works as they are inhabitable without functioning ablution facilities.
Due to the lack of water, awaiting trial prisoners are incarcerated at the SAPS station in Makhado, 50 km away and are transported daily to stand trial at the Magistrates’ Court right next to the Tshilwavhusiku police station.
SAPS members from the Tshilwavhusiku station spend their time transporting prisoners in vehicles that could have been utilised for crime prevention.
The SAPS crime stats for the 1st quarter of 2020 indicate that arrests as a result of police action is down by 93.3 % since the same period last year.
Victims are also adversely affected by the lack of water. The women and children who seek safety at the Victim Empowerment Centre are unable to bath or clean themselves.
Since the Covid outbreak police vehicles must regularly be washed and disinfected which is challenging without water. This duty is currently being outsourced at R50 per wash from personal pockets of the SAPS Members.
The DA raised these issues during the virtual committee meeting with the MEC for Community Safety, Mavhungu Lerule Ramakhanya, months ago, but our concerns fell on deaf ears.
We call on the SAPS Provincial Secretariate and provincial commissioner, Lt -Gen Nneke Ledwaba, to ensure that there is water tanks installed at the Tshilwavhusiku police station without delay to ensure that our SAPS members can execute their mandate effectively.
The DA will continue to fight to ensure that our men and women in blue work and serve in a conducive environment.