eMbalenhle community outraged over auction of crime-fighting bicycles donated by Sasol

eMbalenhle Police Station management’s decision to auction off a donation of bicycles from Sasol has been met with much resistance.

Members of the community, including those serving in the sector crime forums, have voiced strong concerns over this decision, citing that Sasol originally donated the bicycles to support crime prevention efforts.

The 70 bicycles, donated nearly a decade ago following a formal request by local stakeholders, were intended to assist the CPF and police in patrolling high-crime areas. However, forum members say they were blindsided by the recent auction and are demanding accountability.

“We were shocked to learn that some of the bicycles meant to enhance crime prevention efforts were auctioned. Now, there are even plans to relocate the remaining ones to police stations outside the Govan Mbeki Municipality,” said a concerned Sector Crime Forum member.

Community members argue that the station management may not fully understand the bicycles’ original purpose. They insist the donation was strictly meant to serve the eMbalenhle community and should remain within its policing jurisdiction.

“It is unacceptable. These bicycles were donated specifically to help fight crime in eMbalenhle. How can resources meant for our community be disposed of while crime is still high and we’re trying to revive sector forums?” the member added.

CPF chairperson Ace Vilakazi confirmed that neither he nor other CPF members were informed about the auction. He only found out through a community member who mentioned going to the station to buy one of the auctioned bicycles.

“After hearing about it, I asked other CPF members, and none of them knew. We then held a CPF meeting and resolved that an investigation is urgently needed. These are CPF resources, donated by Sasol, and we need clarity on how many bicycles were sold and how much was raised,” Vilakazi stated.

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Vilakazi emphasised that the CPF had no insight into how the auction was conducted and no official communication from the station management was received.

In response, Lieutenant Colonel Jabu Ndubane, Mpumalanga police spokesperson, said the matter is considered internal. According to Ndubane, the police and the CPF had previously held a meeting regarding unused and rusted bicycles, during which they agreed to sell them.

“The items were sold and the proceeds were deposited into the CPF fund. If anyone had an issue, they should have approached the station management directly. The provincial supply chain office is aware of the disposal, and some bicycles remain at the station,” said Ndubane.

However, CPF members continue to dispute this version of events and insist they were never part of any such agreement. They maintain that the process lacked transparency and violated community trust. The CPF is now calling for a formal investigation into the matter and has demanded a detailed report on the sale, including how the money was handled.

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