SAPS allocates only 70% of required police capacity to Gauteng, Boksburg North station suffers 38% staff shortage

1 August 2017

The Minister of Police and the National Police Commissioner must take full responsibility for the high crime rate and the chronic lack of police officers.

During a meeting at the Provincial Commissioner’s office, I was informed that the National SAPS office allocates only 70% of the required police capacity to the Gauteng Province. This has a ripple effect and means that police stations will not be adequately staffed.

As far as staffing is concerned, the Boksburg North SAPS precinct has a shortage of 36 visible police officers or 38%. There are only 15 visible policing officers for each of the four shifts. This amounts to just 60 visible policing officers in total. There should be a total of 96 officers in the unit, with 24 officers being on duty per shift.

In addition, the visible police unit is supposed to have two vehicles for each of the four sectors within the precinct, 24 hours a day. However, currently there are only three visible policing vehicles that are patrolling our community, within this policing precinct. In order to meet the need, there should be no less than eight vehicles.

In light of these shortages, it is no wonder that crime is increasing.

As far as the overall situation at the station is concerned, the entire station has only 23 vehicles. These vehicles must serve the operations of all divisions, including detectives, visible policing, crime prevention, et cetera. However, out of the 23 vehicles only 10 are currently operational as 13, or 57%, are at the mechanical workshop.

This is a serious problem as the chronic lack of police vehicles and of boots on the ground renders policing in Boksburg North ineffectual. The Boksburg North SAPS station is in a state of decay, it is under resourced and constrained in protecting residents.

The ANC-run National Government has an obligation to ensure that all police stations are adequately resourced. Their failure to do so comes at the expense of people’s lives.

Issued by Michael Waters, DA Deputy Chief Whip in the National Assembly and Lethabong Constituency Head, 1 August 2017