Metro Police infrastructure in urgent need of upgrade
The harrowing conditions metro police are forced to work under impacts negatively on staff morale.
A massive upgrade is on the cards for Metro Police infrastructure following a damning report which highlighted the dilapidated state of buildings, the unhealthy conditions metro police were forced to work under and the negative impact these conditions had on police morale.
The report was tabled at a meeting of the city council last week and called for urgent repairs to be undertaken on buildings, including Metro Police headquarters at 16 Archie Gumede Place where, it is reported, “falling bricks” have been the cause of two injured on duty incidents.
New air conditioners will have to be installed and new horse stables and a new police station in Verulam are to be built. The report, signed by acting metro police chief, Steve Middleton says the work needs to be done as a matter of urgency for the unit to run effectively.
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The report noted that some buildings leaked when it rained heavily, that electrical wires and cables ran through the walls while the sewerage pipes in some buildings needed immediate attention.
The storm in October last year also damaged the Isipingo Vehicle Pound causing the fence to collapse. Cameras will also be installed and monitored to mitigate the risk of loss in the uniform stores and the armory.
Among the buildings earmarked for revamping other than police headquarters, are the Training Academy, the KwaMashu Police Station, Verulam Police Station, Khuzimpi Shezi Police Station in uMlazi, a new Metro Police Horse Unit and Queensburgh stores.
New land has been identified in Verulam to build a new police station instead of repairing the current building since it has been categorised as a heritage site belonging to Amafa and is in a derelict state.
The report called for 20 percent of the R35.9 million budgeted for capital programmes in the 2019/20 financial year to be made available during the 2018/19 financial year. This amounts to R7.2 million with the balance thereof to be used to complete the projects during 2019.
It argues that this will assist Metro Police to start the process of addressing challenges caused by infrastructure that has become old and outdated. The report was initially submitted to the Safety and Security Committee and outlined what work will exactly be done.
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Speaking on the issue at an Executive Committee meeting held before council, Deputy City Manager of Finance Krish Kumar said it was not unusual to bring expenditure forward if there was cash flow available.
He said, however, this was not something done often by the City but was necessary as these projects required urgent action.
Deputy Mayor Fawzia Peer, who is also the chairperson of the Security and Emergency Service Committee, said asset management of infrastructure was important and agreed that the Metro Police headquarters was in a bad state.
“We need to manage our buildings to ensure they are not in a dilapidated state, which in the end will cost even more to repair,” she said.
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