The Wierdabrug Police Station is set to benefit from a series of ongoing community-driven support initiatives this year after being selected as the beneficiary of Mall@Reds’ Corporate Social Investment (CSI) programme, known as the Front Liners Project.

The partnership builds on a series of improvements already implemented at the station, while additional upgrades are still planned for later in the year.

So far, the improvements have included extensive garden maintenance completed in April and lighting upgrades carried out in May. These efforts aim to enhance safety, visibility, and the overall working environment at the facility.

Wierdabrug station commander Colonel Mankontsho Setlhare welcomed the continued partnership, noting that the initiative has already made a visible difference to the station’s operational environment.

He elaborated on the positive impact of the upgrades: “The new lighting installations have enhanced visibility during operations, particularly at night, while also improving safety in and around key operational areas. Additionally, the station’s overall appearance has been significantly enhanced, creating a more professional and inviting atmosphere for both staff and members of the public.”

“This has boosted staff morale and strengthened public confidence in the station’s ability to deliver effective services.”

Setlhare acknowledged that, like many public service institutions, Wierdabrug Police Station operates under resource constraints and faces competing operational demands, which often hinder its ability to prioritise infrastructure maintenance.

He emphasised that partnerships such as the one with Mall@Reds help bridge these gaps, enabling the station to maintain a functional environment while officers focus on their core policing duties.

“Infrastructure maintenance, environmental upkeep, and the creation of victim-friendly spaces remain ongoing needs. Partnerships with private entities and community stakeholders are extremely important and align with the principle that safety is a shared responsibility.”

He said collaborations of this nature strengthen communication, improve infrastructure, and create opportunities to enhance police service delivery to the public.

Mall@Reds confirmed that they carried out the initial phase of the project in two separate interventions earlier this year.

The garden maintenance was completed on April 9, while the lighting upgrades were undertaken on May 6 and 7.

Mall@Reds Property Administrator, Adele Reilly, provided more details about these upgrades.

She explained that the garden maintenance involved a full clean-up and restoration of the station’s outdoor areas, including mowing the grass, removing rubble, de-weeding, trimming trees and bushes, and planting additional flowers and greenery to improve the station’s appearance.

“The lighting upgrades involved replacing all faulty, stolen, or insufficient bulbs across the station. This included lighting in the charge office, internal passageways, holding cells, perimeter fencing, external areas, and staff parking facilities,” she said.

Reilly noted that the decision to intervene was informed by an assessment conducted by Mall@Reds’ management, which identified several urgent maintenance issues.

According to her, some internal areas had non-functional lighting, while external spaces such as the staff parking area suffered from poor or completely absent lighting, raising safety concerns.

“The station’s gardens were also found to be severely overgrown, with visible refuse and general neglect contributing to an untidy environment. These findings prompted Mall@Reds to propose a structured intervention as part of its CSI strategy,” she explained.

“Wierdabrug Police Station was selected for the Front Liners Project due to its consistent responsiveness and co-operation when engaged by stakeholders. This initiative is specifically designed to support essential public service entities that play a critical role in the community.”

Looking ahead, Reilly confirmed that Mall@Reds plans to continue supporting the station on a quarterly basis, although specific projects are still being finalised.

The next confirmed intervention will focus on upgrading the station’s gender-based violence (GBV) care room, scheduled for either the third or fourth quarter.

“The planned upgrade will include repainting and redesigning the space in a softer, more calming style to make it more comfortable for women, children, and babies who use the facility,” said Reilly.

The GBV care room was identified as a priority because it serves as a space where survivors of trauma require privacy, dignity, and emotional reassurance.

Setlhare welcomed the planned GBV room upgrade, noting that improvements to victim support spaces can significantly enhance survivors’ experience of police services.

He emphasised that a properly designed environment contributes to privacy, comfort, and dignity, elements that are essential in trauma-sensitive reporting situations.

He also pointed out that enhanced victim support facilities may encourage more survivors of GBV to come forward, enabling the police to provide more effective and compassionate assistance.

“The continued quarterly support from Mall@Reds would be welcomed, particularly in areas such as victim support facilities, infrastructure maintenance, environmental improvements, staff wellness, broader community engagement initiatives, and initiatives that strengthen service delivery to the public,” said Setlhare.

He expressed appreciation for Mall@Reds’ commitment to improving the policing environment.

“We acknowledge that effective crime prevention and community safety require a collective effort from all sectors of society,” he said.

*Please note this article has been amended.

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