A failed multimillion rand project to build an Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) specialised services precinct in Boksburg has come under scrutiny with the metro promising that heads will roll if it is found that the right processes have not been followed. In the meantime, thieves help themselves to fencing and building material left behind by contractors.

The R34m project was to establish an Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department specialised services precinct in Boksburg. The construction site of a multi-phase project, consisting of EMPD K9, SWAT and POP units was halted four years ago, after R6m was already spent on earthworks.

After receiving a tip-off about the disappearing fencing, the Boksburg Advertiser visited the site, situated near the city stadium in Boksburg South, to find that sections of the fence surrounding the property had been removed. All that is left now in the affected sections are the poles.

Criminals take advantage of the city’s poor policing

Ward 32 councillor Marius de Vos, who for years has been lambasting the metro for abandoning the site after R6m of taxpayers’ money had already been spent on earthworks and site establishment, expressed his concern about the theft of the fencing.

He said criminals take advantage of the city’s poor policing, and unguarded council-owned property.

“Just after the people using the nearby sporting facilities made me aware of the problem last month, I reported the issue to the relevant departments, including the EMPD. However, it seems no one attended to this problem,” said de Vos.

“The thieves continue to strip the fencing and they have also helped themselves to the building material left lying here by the appointed service providers.

“Crime thrives in the city due to the absence of proper policing and properly capacitated police services. If we had functional police service, this would have been prevented. The attack on public infrastructure is clearly because of the incapacitated law enforcement agencies.

“It’s a pity that even this project, which would have helped to bring stability to address the policing shortcomings in the city, has also gone to the dogs.

“The previous administration boasted about prioritising this and other EMPD projects in the city, but it failed dismally on its infrastructure delivery promises, as most of these projects have turned out to be wasted public resources, and they amount to wasteful and irregular expenditure.”

De Vos said this will be among the items on his agenda to present in the next council meeting.

“I will request that the current administration do something towards remedying the situation, and possibly restart the project.”

De Vos stated that the lack of response to the problem may encourage continued theft of the poles and all fencing currently available.

He pointed out the costly ramifications the theft and delays to finish the construction project have on taxpayers’ money and called on the metro to hold those responsible for the failure to finish the project and to safeguard the site to be held accountable.

Project under scrutiny

In a recent interview with the newspaper, Ekurhuleni MMC for Community Safety Letlhogonolo Moseki said the likelihood of resuming construction work soon at the failed EMPD project is very low because the project was not included in the current budget, as the city is currently conducting an inquiry into the project planning.

He pointed out the project is among other council projects which have come under scrutiny – to check whether their planning, proposal, budget and ultimately their tender processes, were done properly.

Moseki shared that it appeared there was poor planning as the project is unviable with the resources made available, so continuing with it would be like throwing money at a problem.

He pointed out that, if found that the right processes were not followed, heads will have to roll.

Some phases of the project should have been completed in the 2021/22 financial year.

The metro has not yet responded to a request for comment.