PR by: Teboho Sekaledi- DA Spokesperson for the Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison
The DA in Mpumalanga has submitted written questions to the MEC for Community Safety, Security and Liaison, Jackie Macie, calling for an investigation into the construction of Pungutsha Police Station in Dr JS Moroka.
Located in Katjibane, the project became a stark example of wasted taxpayers’ money. It is concerning to note that although construction began in 2014 and R35 million was spent, reports since 2021 shows that the site now lies in ruins.
With only the foundation in place, we recently conducted an oversight visit to the police station. This gave us first-hand insight into how millions of rands were wasted, as rebar, sand, stone and bricks were stolen because the site was left unguarded.
This crime scene within the Pungutsha Police Station project became more apparent as we walked over to the abandoned temporary police station that was established in 2018. Walking through six prefabricated cabins, which were once holding cells, offices and ablution facilities, we witnessed the extent of the theft and vandalism as criminals stole electrical cables, aircons, toilets and sheet metal.
How can we expect to catch and convict criminals when scarce resources are wasted on projects that fail to serve communities, and when situations like this foster crime instead of keeping residents safe?
Because the South African Police Service has abandoned the residents of Katjibane, we believe that a lot of crime is not reported. This is because the lack of a police station to service this area has made the opening of cases a tedious process that often involves many taxis which cost residents between R75-R100 as residents must travel about 25km to Mmametlhake.
The residents of Katjibane deserve better. We will not relent; we will demand answers and ensure that this project is completed.