Cable theft puts Umhlali cops offline – woman dies waiting for paramedics

A woman knocked down by a vehicle slipped into a coma and tragically died on the side of the road after paramedics took almost two hours to reach her – because the telephones lines had been stolen.

The communication breakdown between the public and the Umhlali SAPS has had a far-reaching effect after cable theft along the R102 resulted in the station’s and surrounding businesses’ phone lines and internet going down for the past four weeks.

According to chairperson of the Ihawu Farmers Security Group, Craig Slevin, the pedestrian walking along the Glendale road was knocked down by a vehicle belonging to a local plant hire company at about 6.30am last Wednesday.

Desperate attempts to contact emergency services via the Umhlali SAPS station failed because the telephone lines were not working and paramedics only arrived an hour and a half after the accident.

Umhlali SAPS spokesperson captain Vinny Pillay said the police station had been without landlines for four weeks.

Last week social media platforms were abuzz with members of the public complaining that calls to Umhlali SAPS were going unanswered.

According to members of the public the alternative mobile number supplied was also not a solution as many times the phone did not have data and airtime and SAPS staff were not able to call the public back or send emergency services.

DA Ward 22 councillor Privi Makhan slammed the antiquated communication network the station had in place and said in an era of information and communications technology, it was unacceptable that the province was incapable of getting a proper network installed at their station.

“If police stations cannot be immediately reached it is cause for serious concern and should be investigated by the minister.

“The contingency measure of a cellphone number being provided, in order for the public to report a crime or request assistance, is simply not good enough.

“Rural communities do not always have access to this cellphone number,” Makhan said.

The alternative emergency number for Umhlali SAPS is 060 859 0142.

The KwaDukuza municipality emergency call line (032 946 2711) was also offline on Tuesday.

The municipality asked the public to make use of the alternate numbers 060 714 3764 and 032 437 5570.