CAPE TOWN – Disgruntled Mfuleni residents are demanding immediate construction of a police station, citing a surge in crime and other social ills in the community. They are accusing ministers, past and present, of making false promises while the community continues to bear the brunt of criminals.
Mfuleni police station demand grows amid crime surge
Since the closure of a local station more than 10 years ago, Mfuleni residents have had to travel to Mfuleni Police Station located a few kilometres away in Blue Downs, opposite the Blue Downs Magistrates’ Court. This, they say, discourages people from opening cases while fueling crime in the community.
Residents say the recent crime statistics are a testament to their displeasure. The station featured prominently when acting Minister of Police, Firoz Cachalia, released the third-quarter crime statistics on Friday 20 February. The figures reflect crime committed from October to December 2025.
Crime statistics highlight need for Mfuleni police station
The station recorded the highest number of murders per capita, both nationally and provincially.
A total of 75 cases were reported compared to 73 cases registered in the same period in 2024, an increase of 2,5%. It was followed by Nyanga Police Station which recorded 70 murder cases, up from 54 cases in the same period in 2024. In the contact crime category, Mfuleni topped both national and provincial rankings, with 1 177 cases reported between October and December last year. This represents an increase of 2,3%, from the 1 151 cases reported during the same period in 2024.
Community leaders call for action on Mfuleni police station
Community leader Manyano Gaxa said it was high time Mfuleni had its own police station. He claimed the area never had a fully-fledged police station in over 20 years. “All the former ministers promised us they would build a police station for Mfuleni, but nothing happened. Our concern is that there is a high crime rate here. In recent statistics, Mfuleni was leading on murder nationally. And we have a problem of carjacking and gender-based violence.”
Gaxa said the station in Blue Downs, didn’t have the capacity to cater for such a widespread community and lacked manpower. “There is a shortage of manpower and resources, which usually translates into poor service delivery.”
The South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) leader in the area, Vuyani Fotoyi, said two years ago Western Cape police commissioner Lt-Gen Thembisile Patekile hosted an imbizo with the community, when he vowed to come back with a report but never did. He described Mfuleni as a red zone.
“It is hilarious that the police station in Blue Downs is named Mfuleni Police Station, even though it is not in Mfuleni. We want our own police station, one that will be named Mfuleni of course, and the one in Blue Downs will be named after its own area.”
To add insult to injury, Fotoyi said, the satellite police is closed at night, so there’s no proper recourse when crime takes place locally and there’s hardly any police visibility at all.
“All we want is for the Police Department to speed up the processes,” he said. “We want our own fully-fledged police station. The satellite police station is there to do an affidavit or to certify… The officers close the satellite police station at night. We are not safe at all.”
Mfuleni Police Station commander Lt-Col Siphokazi Mbambo decried the impression that the station ceases operating at night, adding that the gate is closed for security reasons. “The station works 24 hours,” he declared. “It is just that we close the gate. We have an intercom which people can press, and it will be opened for them. But the station is always open.”
Plans underway for new Mfuleni police station
Patekile said Mfuleni Police Station would soon open, but there were small glitches that needed ironing out.
“The City gave us a building to use as our police station, which is opposite Shoprite near the Mfuleni Taxi Rank,” he said. “We are waiting for the Department of Public Works and the City to sign the lease agreement, and then we will move in.”
He said half the staff from Mfuleni station in Blue Downs would move there, but the administration would remain in Blue Downs.
Mayco member for Safety and Security JP Smith said the City was committed to supporting the police. “Currently the City and national Department of Public Works are finalising the lease.”
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