STORMS RIVER – An unannounced oversight inspection at the Storms River Police Station has highlighted deteriorating infrastructure, inadequate resources, and conditions that allegedly hinder the proper protection and support of vulnerable victims.
PHOTO: Supplied
In a press release, Henni Britz, Democratic Alliance Kou-Kamma Constituency Leader, said that the alleged shocking situation at the police station was uncovered after he conducted an unannounced oversight inspection that confirmed long-standing community complaints about the state of the station.
“It became evident that regulations governing the protection, confidentiality and proper handling of victims, particularly survivors of gender-based violence and rape, cannot be adequately implemented at this police station,” said Britz.
“This failure is not due to a lack of professionalism or commitment by South African Police Service members, but rather the result of severely inadequate infrastructure and resources.”
Britz further alleges that the Victim Support Centre is in a deplorable condition.
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He said that the floor is rotten, structurally unstable, and poses a safety risk to both victims and staff.
“The consulting room contains only one broken-down sofa and a single plastic chair, conditions wholly unsuitable for interviewing traumatised victims of violent crime,” said Britz.
Furthermore, he said that compounding this indignity is the fact that the only public toilet at the station is not operational.
Britz further alleged that the station has a critical lack of operational resources.
He said that visible policing has access to only one vehicle, while detective services also rely on only one.
“This constitutes the station’s entire available fleet. As a result, there are times when no vehicle is available to respond to emergency calls from the public. This places both residents and police officers at unacceptable risk,” said Britz.
He further said that communities in remote and rural areas are entitled to the same level of protection as any other part of the country, and police officers are entitled to the basic tools required to perform their duties effectively.
“Community safety cannot be achieved where police stations are left to operate under degraded conditions and chronic resource shortages,” said Britz.
According to police spokesperson Warrant Officer Majola Nkohli, the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) is responsible for the management of state-owned fixed assets and the coordination of public infrastructure development.
“All the structural defects at the police station are to form part of the renovation project by the DPWI,” said Nkohli.
He said that the Storms River Police Station management has a contingency plan to assist in serving the victims of gender-based violence, wherein an alternative office is used to interview the clients.
Nkohli further said that there are sufficient and actively operational vehicles at the station to service the community of Storms River.
“We are committed to resolving systematic issues and to always maintain a professional service,” said Nkohli.
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