Shortage of vehicles at more than 24 Police stations in Limpopo

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has urged Transport and Community Safety MEC Dickson Masemola to without delay provide more Police vehicles to various stations across Limpopo.
“We especially need fully functioning fleets at rural Police stations to combat crime as the Festive Season is around the corner,” Political Head for Bela-Bela, Thabazimbi and Tzaneen, Desiree van der Walt said in a recent press statement.
She added that the DA can confirm that more than 24 Police stations across Thabazimbi, Maruleng, Bela-Bela, Ba-Phalaborwa, Greater Letaba and Tzaneen are operating without sufficient vehicles, leaving stations with a massive problem in which they can’t respond to crime effectively or timeously.
“In these areas we have seen various attacks on farmers and farmworkers, high numbers of incidents of rape as well as poaching and stock theft. These stations need adequate resources to respond to crimes and be able to assist the community over vast distances,” she said.
Bolobedu is on top of the list with a shortage of 14 vehicles followed by both Namakgale and Phalaborwa who both have a shortage of ten vehicles each.
The DA demands that these vehicles are provided as a matter of urgency in order to address crime in their respective areas, according to Van der Walt.
She added that some stations have to render policing services to over 40 villages and without adequate resources it is impossible to combat crime and makes locals vulnerable to criminal elements.
She said that the DA will be monitoring the affected stations to establish what other resources and support they might need before seeking an urgent meeting with Masemola.
At the time of going to print she could not have been reached to get an indication on the resource situation in Polokwane.
Efforts to contact departmental Spokesperson Joel Seabi for comment on the matter were fruitless.

Story: RC Myburgh
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