Don’t blame us for police station sewage leaks – DPWI
“Some sections of the police station are at a high risk of collapse due to a lack of maintenance going back 30 years putting the lives of staff and the public in danger.”
The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) has asked that the Pretoria central police station refrains from blaming it for an alleged series of recent sewage leaks.
The police (SAPS) management had allegedly reported the series of leaks to the DPWI recently.
Speaking to Rekord, DPWI spokesperson Thami Mchunu said: “The department would like to set the record straight with regards to the health hazard caused by sewage leakage at the central police station in Tshwane.”
He said the police station was allocated a budget of R100 000 for minor maintenance such as leaks while the department remained responsible for major repairs.
He said the department could therefore not be blamed for the leaks.
“We distance ourselves from misleading and unfounded aspersions which create an unnecessary negative narrative about the department,” Mchunu said.
Recently station staff reported that the building was in a terrible state of disrepair with sewage on the floor and through walls on the fifth floor.
They said this created horrendously unhealthy working conditions.
Watch: Scenes allegedly witnessed at Pretoria central police station this month, which led to 21 suspects, placed in holding cells, being moved to another police station due to sewage challenges. #ReitumetseMahope #CentralPolicestation pic.twitter.com/KQKfhJFU9D
— Pretoria Rekord (@RekordNewspaper) May 30, 2022
The staff who wanted to remain anonymous due to fear of victimisation told Record that the situation at the station was extremely bad.
They claimed that station management was not being honest about the extent of the problem caused by the ageing infrastructure in the building.
“Two weeks ago (on May 12) sewage was pouring off the roof and currently we are expected to sit and work while inhaling all those vapours,” one employee said.
The employee said just in April, colleagues had to walk through pools of “faeces and urine”.
“It is terrible. We have endured many problems in the building such as mould infestation on the walls and carpets.
“The building is very dilapidated and should be investigated by authorities.”
The employee said the mould had gotten worse since May 2022 and officers feared falling ill as a result
Watch: Scenes allegedly witnessed at Pretoria central police station this month, which led to 21 suspects, placed in holding cells, being moved to another police station due to sewage challenges. #ReitumetseMahope #CentralPolicestation pic.twitter.com/TcBLo4cPt4
— Pretoria Rekord (@RekordNewspaper) May 30, 2022
Another employee said when she was employed about four years ago, the building already had a problem of regular leaks.
“I was admitted to hospital and was told I have a bug after issues of green water at the building.”
The employees said the building was a danger and called on station management to relocate them to a safe building.
ALSO READ: Work at police station hampered by recurring sewerage leaks since 2010
Earlier this month, the leaks were so bad that people arrested in the area had to be housed at neighbouring police stations.
DA Gauteng spokesperson on infrastructure development Nico De Jager said last week Thursday that the Pretoria Central Police station was on the brink of collapse.
“Sections of the station stand at a high risk of collapse due to no maintenance for at least 30 years which is putting the lives of staff and the public in danger,” said De Jager.
He said while the living quarters in the building were upgraded, the cells and administration offices had not.
De Jager said the problematic sewer lines were on top of the building.
He said this resulted in raw sewage flooding the passages and basement.
“A sewer line that is not maintained or upgraded regularly should at least be constantly deep cleaned with a high-pressure water nozzle to flush out faeces, dirt, sludge and litter.”
“Our police officers and members of the public must be able to access a police station that is fully compliant with the Occupational Health and Safety Act,” said De Jager.
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