Umhlali cops under-resourced and understaffed

Umhlali SAPS has a manpower and transport problem which is severely impacting on their ability to fight crime.

The station has for more than a year had one vehicle to service an area twice the size of its much better-equipped neighbour, Tongaat.

The recent drunk and disorderly behaviour at Ballito’s beaches and public spaces, especially over the holiday season, has caused the community to question the failure of the local SAPS to respond to crime, enforce bylaws and police public open spaces.

Concerned residents – some 200-strong – attending the Ballito Neighbourhood Watch meeting on Monday blamed the growing crisis on the lack of visible policing and law enforcement.

However, Umhlali SAPS spokesperson Capt Vinnie Pillay said they were faced with a chronic shortage of manpower and vehicles.

“In the past two years the station has lost 22 police officers but no additional staff have been deployed to replace them,” said Captain Pillay resulting in a disproportionate number of officers to service the population.

Despite the substantial growth in the region in the last five years, the station has 66 staff and only one police vehicle to service its precinct.

Appeals to police headquarters for more vehicles have fallen on deaf ears.

By comparison, the Tongaat station has 119 officers and 32 vehicles to serve an area of 152 sq km.

Ballito Neighbourhood Watch chairman Gary Frances said the community needed to band together in order to come up with a working solution.

“The reality is we do not have enough police and together with various stakeholders we have to find ways to address the crisis we as a community are facing,” said Frances.

Suggestions from the public was to start a grand scale campaign, demanding the South African Minister of Police, Bheki Cele to intervene by increasing manpower and resources to the region.

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