The rapidly growing Umhlali policing precinct needs more police officers and resources to keep pace with the communities it serves.

With Ballito and surrounding areas continuing to expand through new residential and commercial developments, Umhlali Saps is responsible for policing a large area with limited staff and physical resources.

The station’s resource challenges were highlighted during a recent Ballito Neighbourhood Watch community meeting, where Visible Policing Commander Lieutenant Colonel Mkhize spoke about the pressures facing police.

“We have a huge challenge when it comes to human resources and physical resources. Our area is big, yet we have limited resources,” he said.

Mkhize said requests for additional resources had been submitted to district and provincial structures, but allocations could take years.

He acknowledged residents’ frustration when police were unable to respond quickly, explaining that limited resources had to be spread across the precinct while officers dealt with numerous complaints.

Despite these challenges, Mkhize praised neighbourhood watches, community policing forums and other community safety structures for supporting police.

Ballito Neighbourhood Watch chairperson Morné Steffens said residents could help strengthen the case for more resources by reporting every incident, no matter how small.

“If residents do not report crime, Saps will look at our stats and determine that there is no need to allocate additional members to the station. So by not reporting, you are doing the entire Umhlali precinct an injustice,” he said.

The neighbourhood watch is also calling for greater community involvement.

It has only 34 active patrollers, despite about 1 784 residents being part of its street WhatsApp groups.

Residents were encouraged to volunteer for patrols, which generally require about two hours of their time on a rotating basis.