290 days needed to fix a cylinder head on a police car
Three police stations short 45 vehicles due to slow repairs
THE city’s three police stations are short of 45 vehicles which have been away for 223 days.
These statistics were revealed in a reply to parliamentary questions asked to the Minister of Police, Nkosinathi Nhleko, by DA Member of Parliament (MP), Mike Waters.
Waters had questioned Nhleko on the state of police vehicles across Ekurhuleni.
Kempton Park Police Station has 23 vehicles in the mechanical workshop that have been there, on average, for 55 days. Sebenza Police Station has 11 vehicles out of its 22 in the mechanical workshop and they have been there for about 88 days, while Norkem Park Police Station has 11 vehicles out of its 36 in the mechanical workshop. These vehicles have been there on average for 80 days.
“Vehicles are essential in order for the police to conduct their daily duties and the workshop should be servicing and repairing them speedily. The lack of vehicles affects the police’s ability to respond to crimes and to conduct investigations into crimes,” Waters said.
According to the statistics one of Kempton Park SAPS police vehicles is in for repairs to get its cylinder head fixed. It has taken 290 days to be repaired, while a brake system has taken 56 days to be repaired and a fuel system 70 days.
At Sebenza SAPS, a cylinder head has so far taken 339 days, an engine overhaul 96 days and it has taken 41 days for a vehicle to be inspected.
At Norkem Park SAPS, the replacing of a cylinder head took 313 days, an inspection 72 days and one vehicle has been at the workshop for 74 days with no work code being allocated to it.
