Police Minister Bheki Cele visited the Ga-Rankuwa police station outside Pretoria on Friday amid an electricity crisis at the station.

The station has been without electricity for almost 10 months, which has affected its functioning.

Police ministry spokesperson Lirandzu Themba said the purpose of the visit was to ensure that power is restored to the station as soon as possible.

Themba however could not say when the electricity would be restored and if it was true that police are locking themselves inside the station at night as they feared for their safety.

“The SAPS will communicate in due course once all facts have been established,” said Themba.

Cele was accompanied by national police commissioner Lieutenant-General Fannie Masemola, Gauteng provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant General, Elias Mawela and other department officials.

Two weeks ago, Ga-Rankuwa residents claimed that their local police locked themselves inside the station at night because they were afraid that they might be robbed.

Residents also said that the police asked a private security company to protect the station and that the station had been without electricity for over eight months.

“We are frustrated about the issues at the police station,” Ga-Rankuwa resident Kebelo Theoga said.

“They are hiding inside the police station at night because they do not have electricity. They lock themselves inside at night and close the gates. Where should we go if the police are afraid for their own lives? If they have guns but are afraid, who will protect the residents then?”

Martin Moloto, a spokesperson for the local CPF, said there were allegations that someone wanted to rob the station of ammunition because there was no electricity at night.

“Management had no choice but to order that the police station must close the gates at night,” he said.

“It is not that people can’t access the police station at night. Police just close the gate so that the officers who are inside can be safe because there’s no electricity.

“There is a van at the gate so that when people come, they can be assisted from there. So it is not true that people are not being helped.

On the allegation that police have acquired the services of a security company to look after the station, Moloto said the CPF spoke with security companies and asked them to monitor the station at night.

“They are not there to guard the police station, they are there to monitor whether everything is okay. We approached them as the CPF and asked whether they could check on the police station while they are doing their regular rounds as the national government is dealing with the electricity issue.”

DA Gauteng spokesperson for community safety, Crezane Bosch said the visit by Cele is a result of the DA’s numerous questions and letters to the minister demanding better service delivery by the station, and that electricity be restored immediately.

The DA was joined by community members two weeks ago in a picket outside the police station to demand that electricity be restored to the station.

Bosch said the DA is relieved that there is finally action in this regard, as this is long overdue and should be prioritised.

“The community of Ga-Rankuwa deserves to feel safe, and the DA will continue to monitor the situation daily to ensure that nothing is taken for granted and that the power is restored as a matter of urgency.

“Furthermore, there should be a long-term solution between the SAPS, Eskom and the City of Tshwane to ensure that this police station has a sustainable electricity supply to ensure the safety of the residents.”