Abandoned Police station vandalised 

Staff reporter 

Qwaqwa – The Department of Community Safety, Roads and Transport in Free State has left the communities of Intabazwe and Tshiame without police stations following closure of their police stations. 

This means the residents have to travel to Harrismith for any help as the satellite police stations are vandalised and plundered. 

According to Dr Roy Jankielsohn, provincial leader of Democratic Alliance this is not something new.

“The communities of Intabazwe and Tshiame have been left without services from the SAPS for years following the closure of their police stations. Residents in these areas have to travel long distances to Harrismith in order to obtain services such as lodging of complaints and even certification of documents.

During an oversight visit by members of the Democratic Alliance both satellite stations were found derelict and plundered. What is of further concern is that sensitive SAPS documents such as dockets and note books are scattered around the buildings. These documents contain statements and personal information of complainants. These cases were in all probability never investigated.”

Jankelsohn concluded. 

“Some of the SAPS case dockets that were photographed at the abandoned Intabazwe station and placed on social media were found burnt a week later.

While the lack of resources was initially used as a reason for the closure of these stations, a new SAPS building is being erected in Tshiame. Concerns remain over why the Tshiame station was closed while the new station was being built and whether the resources will be available to deliver the necessary services from the new station.”

In April, Freedom Front Plus condemned number of police vehicles reportedly broken down after it emerged at least 449 police vehicles are broken. 

In addition to that, on average a detective in Free State is currently allocated 395 cases instead of 100. 

A total of 1597 detectives have a combined 630, 815 unresolved cases among them at any given day. 

Just like Jesus having visited Johannesburg and Pretoria, Free State need Lord Mkhwanazi, 

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