Frustration still reigns at the Westenburg police station

POLOKWANE – More than four months down the line nothing has been done to address the lack of resources at the Westenburg police station.

Police officials who spoke to Review on condition of anonymity said the situation at the station had not changed but instead worsened, and the result was that cases took even longer to be solved.

The lack of resources included a shortage of the basics such as vehicles, computers, printers, fax machines, stationery, furniture and office space.

The Westenburg policing area covers the lower parts of Polokwane’s central business district, Ladanna, Ladine, Laboria, Superbia, Westenburg, Nirvana, Rainbow Park, Ivy Park, Greenside, and smallholdings and farms between the N1 South and North including Doornbult, Leeuwkuil, Percy Fyfe and Bergnek.

Molebatsi Masedi, media liaison officer for the department of safety, security and liaison, said the Westenburg police station was one of several police stations in the province that continued to be upgraded and resourced.

“The station has been upgraded from being a satellite to a fully-fledged station and as part of this upgrade the police station is in line to receive adequate resources so that it performs to the intended capacity to the satisfaction of the community it serves,” he said.

To mitigate its infrastructure needs the station had received park homes, Masedi added.

“These park homes have not fully addressed the accommodation needs of the police station. There is work that is underway at the level of the police’s provincial leadership and the office of the MEC to ensure that the Westenburg police station and all other police stations in the province are adequately resourced,” Masedi explained.

According to Masedi the police station received three vehicles to alleviate its transport problems.

“These vehicles are not enough for the police station to fulfil its service to the community due to the proximity among Polokwane, Seshego and Westenburg their operational boundaries have been relaxed in such a manner that any of the three will be able to assist any or others in times of need.

“This arrangement will further mitigate whatever shortages may afflict Westenburg or any of the three police stations,” he said.

Masedi agreed that this was an interim arrangement until all the three stations were sufficiently resourced to be able to run on their own.

He said all detectives at the Westenburg police station have been supplied with laptops.

“What remains to be installed are telephone lines to ensure Internet connectivity. Internet connection is being addressed between SAPS and the service provider and we expect this to be addressed in due course,” Masedi said.