Work at police station hampered by recurring sewerage leaks since 2010
Suspects that were placed in the holding cells had to be moved to another police station as officers must walk through sewerage to get to holding cells.
A recurring sewerage leakage at the Pretoria Central police station, near the Pretoria magistrate’s court, was so bad that arrested suspects had to be booked in at other police stations.
This was revealed during an oversight visit by the DA Gauteng spokesperson for community safety, Crezane Bosch, and DA Gauteng spokesperson for infrastructure development, Nico de Jager, on Tuesday.
The problem, they were told, began in 2010 during the refurbishment of a building next door and just got worse.
Officers said they had to walk through sewerage to get to the holding cells and basement areas.
On the day before the oversight visit, 21 suspects that were placed in the holding cells had to be moved to another police station.
Police detectives had to escort arrested suspects to other police stations and charge and detain them there. They also had to transport them to the courts from those temporarily used police stations.
When a pipe in a section of the police station building was unblocked, another section began with issues.
Officers at the station blamed the Department of Public Works for temporary shoddy work.
“There is an unbearable stench coming from the leaking sewerage in the building,” said Bosch.
Bosch said their visit came after several police officers have complained about the station being dangerous and unsafe to the public, SAPS officers and inmates.
“This old building is in a terrible state due to poor planning and a lack of regular and proper maintenance.
“There are mould and leakages in the underground parking and near the holding cells.
“This environment is not conducive to work. Personnel at the station are a causality of the government’s incompetence over the years as this is said to be a reoccurring issue.”
According to Bosch, it was reported that several complaints were made to the SAPS provincial commissioner and the Department of Public Works; yet, only temporary patchwork took place instead of any long-term solutions.
De Jager said the leakage also compromised the structural integrity of the building given how long ago the leaks started.
“The building is clearly not being maintained properly. Sewerage running in the building is not a good thing as the structure of the building starts eroding.”
Spokesperson for the police station, Captain Augustinah Selepe said the station’s supply chain office would take necessary measures for the damage to be repaired.
The matter would also be reported to the relevant department, namely the Department of Public Works.
“Detained persons were moved as the police cells, including ablution facilities, are currently under maintenance.”
She said the station took detainees’ human rights “seriously”.
“We cannot keep detainees while there is maintenance.”
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