AN Identification Parade Room was officially unveiled at Pinetown SAPS on Thursday, August 6.

The facility is expected to improve the investigation of serious and violent crimes by allowing victims and witnesses to identify suspects in a controlled, secure environment closer to home.

Speaking at the unveiling, Pinetown CPF chairperson Justin Bosse, who spearheaded the project alongside the CPF committee, thanked the stakeholders who made the initiative possible.

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“I would like to thank acting station commander Colonel Ronnie Heeralall for his support. I also wish to acknowledge Jan Mare, managing director of the Greater Westmead Association (GWA), who bought into this idea and rallied a number of stakeholders to come on board,” said Bosse.

Mare said the project demonstrated what can be achieved when communities work together.

“We are building one community at a time, and this would not have been possible without the various stakeholders who put up their hands and said, ‘We’re in.’

“This truly shows that when there is strong leadership, good men and women step forward. Thank you to Pinetown SAPS management and the CPF for bringing the identification parade room closer instead of taking victims, who are already traumatised, all the way to Durban Central.”

Heeralall explained that the project began after he was approached by Sergeant Siyabonga Nyawose and Constable Kwandokuhle Ngcobo, who asked whether it would be possible for the station to establish its own identification parade room.

He described the facility as an essential part of criminal investigations.

“An identification parade is conducted according to strict legal procedures to ensure fairness and protect the rights of both victims and suspects,” he said. “The suspect is placed in a line-up with several people of similar appearance, and the witness is asked to identify the person involved in the crime without any prompting from police. Every step of the process is carefully documented so that the evidence can be used in court.”

Heeralall said many victims are reluctant to come face to face with suspects, and the new facility would make the process less intimidating.

“In most cases, victims do not want to come face to face with perpetrators, and this facility will allow them to identify suspects with far less fear.”

He added that the room would primarily be used for serious and violent crimes, helping investigators build stronger cases that could lead to successful prosecutions and appropriate sentences.

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The acting station commander also praised the strong partnership between SAPS, the CPF and local stakeholders.

“This was a CPF-driven project. When I first raised the idea, Justin and Jan didn’t hesitate. They immediately went to the holding cells to see where the room could be built.

“However, because the building belongs to the Department of Public Works, all the necessary protocols and procedures had to be followed.”

A few days later, an opportunity arose when the Minister of Public Works visited Kloof Police Station.

“I made my way there and seized an opportunity to speak with the minister. Since we already had funding in place, he liked the proposal and said architects and designers would visit the station the very next day. Within a week, we received confirmation that the project had been approved.”

Heeralall thanked the CPF, sponsors and all stakeholders whose contributions helped bring the project to life.

Brigadier Ruth de Villiers, who attended the unveiling, said it was encouraging to see community members supporting the police.

“It gives me great pleasure to see that there are still people who recognise the good work being done by SAPS. I value the strong partnership between the police and the community.”

With a detective background, De Villiers understands the importance of the new facility.

“I understand how valuable a facility like this is. Victims and witnesses will be able to come forward more comfortably to identify suspects. In the past, identification procedures sometimes required victims to physically point out or even touch a suspect. This identification parade room will make the process much safer and far less traumatic for those involved.”

Jennifer Naidu, communications officer at SAPS Pinetown, said the Identification Parade Room would not only serve SAPS Pinetown, but would also be available for use by surrounding police stations. She added that the facility is expected to reduce travel, save time and optimise the use of State resources and manpower by allowing identification parades to be conducted locally.

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