The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Limpopo on Friday in a Committee meeting requested for the MEC to submit a report with reasons for the untenable delays in the completion of the R55 million new Mankweng police station.
The request follows an oversight visit to the Mankweng police station last week where concerning findings were made.
The current station, built in 1969, is overcrowded and cannot accommodate all the services that is provided by the SAPS.
There are 197 police officers working from the Mankweng station.
Police officers share cramped spaces which make them more susceptible to contract the Coronavirus.
The DA is very concerned that, given the high number of sexual offences reported at Mankweng, the station does not have Victim Empowerment Programme (VEP) facilities where victims of gender-based violence (GBV) can be assisted.
It is unacceptable that victims of GBV, who require shelter, are either taken to the Botlokwa and Morebeng stations or requested to stay with nearby relatives.
The allocated social worker no longer comes to the station due to unavailability of space.
It is unacceptable that our men and women in blue as well as victims of crime are being compromised by the construction delay of the new station which was expected to be completed in February 2020.
The DA requests MEC Lerule-Ramakhanya to crack the whip and to ensure that the new station is completed without any delay.
We further expect MEC Lerule-Ramakhanya to provide the long outstanding forensic results on the alleged human bones found on the construction site more than 5 years ago.
We will monitor the progress in the completion of the station and will conduct an oversight at the new station building to ensure that the VEP accommodation is adequate to ensure that victims of GBV are treated with dignity and respect.