National police commissioner General Khehla Sitole has danced around the question of why a temporary police station set up in Katjibane in Mpumalanga in 2018 was not utilised, despite the community’s desperation for services.
On Thursday, The Citizen reported how construction on a R35-million state-of-the-art Pungutsha Police Station for the rural community of Katjibane in Mpumalanga was abandoned at foundation level seven years ago.
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When the frustrated community finally rioted and demanded answers, millions of Rands more were apparently splurged on a temporary facility, which was also inexplicably abandoned.
A resident walks through the R35 Million Pungutsha Police Station that was meant to begin construction in 2014, 11 May 2021, Mpumalanga. Picture: Jacques Nelles
Asked during the release of crime statistics in Pretoria on Friday why the temporary police station, complete with paving and electrical and plumbing fittings for six prefabricated cabins, was never occupied, Sitole only said the police station was one of six prioritised to be operational in three months.
“The delays in relation to these police stations range from legal issues where contractors have failed to meet their obligations. We have taken them to court and the majority we have cleared them,” he said.
According to Sitole, there were few functionality needs required to complete the police stations and declare them functional, but he did not elaborate on these.
He said the Mmametlhake police station, which is 25km from Katjibane, was sufficiently capacitated to handle the challenges faced by Pungutsha police station, a statement that has enraged the community.
Simon Macheke, Economic Freedom Fighters ward 27 treasurer, said by this statement Sitole suggested that it was acceptable for residents to spend R60 for a return trip to Mmametlhake police station for affidavits and certification.
“We understand that there are issues we do not know about the permanent structure, but what could be so difficult to put few police officers in the temporary structure to assist the community in the meantime. This is madness,” he charged.
Macheke said it was only after the article was published in The Citizen that there was some activity on site, saying it was teeming with officials from police minister Bheki Cele’s office on Thursday.
He said they were assured that the satellite police station will soon be operational but said they will believe it when they see it because no promise to the community was ever fulfilled.
siphom@citizen.co.za