Former Tshwane mayor Cilliers Brink has pushed back against the multiparty coalition government’s claim that it inherited a ‘decaying’ Community Safety Department, and singlehandedly rebuilt it.

This follows recent remarks by MMC for Community Safety Hannes Coetzee, who credited the current administration for transforming a department he described as ‘weakened by years of neglect and mismanagement’.

“When this administration took office, we inherited a department weakened by years of neglect and mismanagement,” said Coetzee.

“By-law enforcement had suffered from poor visibility, outdated vehicles, and fragmented co-ordination.”

According to Coetzee, their law enforcement officers worked with limited resources and inadequate technology.

He said the metro had made notable progress over the past year through technology-driven policing and partnerships with private companies, such as Vumacam, Vodacom, BMW, Nissan and Ford.

“Through this innovation, enforcement is no longer reactive but proactive and intelligence-led,” Coetzee added.

“We are rebuilding a safer, modern capital city through professionalism, purpose, and partnership.”

However, Brink, who served as mayor from March 2023 to September 2024, dismissed the coalition’s claims as politically motivated and inaccurate.

“ActionSA, the party of Mayor Nasiphi Moya, has been in government far longer [than] 2021.”

“It’s typical of them not to take responsibility for delivery but to point fingers to cover their own political flip-flopping,” Brink said.

He argued that the metro’s decline began under the ANC’s administration and worsened due to mismanagement and cadre deployment.

According to Brink, the coalition has not initiated any project of its own, except for enormous expenditure on water tankers and security companies linked to the deputy mayor.

“Their calculation was that they would cut the ribbons on work done by the DA, but the test is whether the facility you’ve built actually works.”

Brink also questioned the coalition’s decision to employ 200 new metro police officers despite complaints of inadequate resources and vehicle shortages.

“Why employ more people if you don’t have the vehicles and equipment for the existing workforce?” he said.

“To improve the TMPD’s effectiveness, officers need to be connected by radio and an electronic dispatch system, something that depends on the city’s financial recovery.”

Residents, meanwhile, expressed frustration over the continued lack of visible improvement in service delivery and safety.

East resident Ian Fuller said he has not noticed any significant changes under the current or previous governments.

“I can’t say that anything has improved at all,” he said.

“There’s a continual degradation of services and infrastructure because nothing is being done.”

Fuller stated that it goes beyond political borders and is a basic competency and governance issue.

“There are things that the previous administration lacked in terms of delivering services to.”

Another resident Genevieve Symonds said she has lost trust in the municipality.

“The municipality is not trustworthy. They are not improving safety,” she said.

“I have been overcharged on my account for months, and nothing has been fixed. They need to be held accountable.”

She added that she has not seen any visibility of the TMPD as claimed.

“Maybe people in other areas do see the change, but not in my area.”

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