Kwa-Thema – The handover of the new Kwa-Thema Police Station has been welcomed by station commander Colonel Nhlanhla Welcome Kunene, who said the modern facility will improve working conditions for officers while creating a more welcoming environment for residents to report crime.

The station was officially handed over by the contractor on July 10 and is expected to become operational once the installation of computer systems is completed.

Speaking to the African Reporter, Kunene said the new facility marks a significant improvement from the old station, where poor infrastructure often hampered daily operations.

He expressed joy about this facility, as the old structure was really not up to scratch. He added that during rainy weather, the officers had to endure difficult conditions, using buckets to catch water leaking into the building.

Although some police services will remain at the existing station, Kunene said the detectives would relocate to the new building, where improved office space will better serve victims and witnesses.

“I think the community will be happy to come and see the detectives because there will now be privacy. People will be able to submit their statements willingly and comfortably.”

The new station will house the detective branch, the Victim Empowerment Centre, SAPS 13 (where evidence is stored), and the Visible Policing unit.

Kunene believes the improved facilities will strengthen the relationship between police and the community, making it easier for residents to provide information that can assist investigations.

“Some community members are prepared to work with the police, but the old structure was not suitable.

“This facility offers much more privacy, so people will be able to speak to the police freely and give information. We will do our best to act on any information we receive from our sources and informers.”

Kunene added that new police facilities are often accompanied by additional resources from the provincial office.

“We are hopeful that we will receive additional personnel and vehicles to better serve the Kwa-Thema community.”

The station is expected to begin operating once the installation of computer systems has been completed.

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Kunene also thanked the Kwa-Thema community for supporting police efforts over the years, particularly in reducing violent crime in local hostels. He encouraged residents to continue working with the police by reporting criminal activity.

“I ask the community to come in numbers. We now have a facility where we can sit down together and talk about crime. Together we can continue making Kwa-Thema a safer place.”

Fabricated Steel Manufacturing Company director Felix Clemens said the satellite police station was a greenfield project and that there was nothing there before and built the station completely from scratch.

According to Clemens, the construction started at the end of July last year and was substantially completed by January. However, the final handover was delayed because of challenges in securing the electricity connection.

“We had actually finished by December and January, but there were some delays with the power connection for various reasons. We only received the power connection about two to three weeks ago,” he explained.

He said the project initially experienced challenges relating to community participation, but these were resolved through engagement with residents and local stakeholders.

“We had various meetings with the community and agreed on how the work would be shared. From there, the project progressed incredibly smoothly.”

He shared that the project also created temporary employment opportunities for local residents during construction, with additional labour sourced from the Kwa-Thema community.

Clemens credited the community liaison officer and the City of Ekurhuleni for helping ensure the construction process ran successfully.

To ensure the building met SAPS operational and safety standards, Clemens said the design process involved close collaboration between professional consultants and SAPS.

“Our architects and engineers prepared the designs, which were reviewed by SAPS’ own professional team. Once everyone agreed on the plans, construction began.”

Clemens described the completed facility as the largest satellite police station his company has built.

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“This is probably the biggest satellite station we’ve done in terms of square meterage.

“Kwa-Thema is a large community, so SAPS conducted a needs analysis and the station was designed to meet those requirements.”

He said the station features spacious, functional work areas designed to improve policing and service delivery.

“We are very proud of this handover and what we have achieved here. It is a really nice station with big open, workable areas. It really is a flagship project,” concluded Clemens.