The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Northern Cape has written to the Minister of Police, Bheki Cele, questioning the ongoing delays in the operationalisation of the Riemvasmaak Police Station.
While media reports indicate that the station has been open since 8 May 2023, the DA was met with closed doors on a recent oversight visit to the station. We have also received reports that although the station is considered open, police officers have yet to be appointed at the station.
This is incomprehensible and raises more questions about what can only be described as a white elephant.
A parliamentary reply from Cele revealed that the title deed for the Riemvasmaak Police Station was already purchased in 2016. Annual Reports further state that the tender, valued at more than R42 million, was awarded to a company in 2018 and that construction was earmarked for completion during April 2021.
According to SAPS, due to a culmination of COVID-19, community unrest and disputes, interference by local business forums and issues in respect of the contractor experiencing challenges regarding the procurement of skilled labour and sourcing of building materials, an extension was approved.
We cannot, however, accept that almost a decade since land was purchased to construct the station, the project has failed to add value to the community of Riemvasmaak who must travel approximately 80 kilometers to get to the nearest police station. SAPS officials from the Kakamas police station also have to travel long distances on roads of poor condition, to respond to reports of crime.
The DA wants to know why Riemvasmaak station’s doors remain closed and whether this project was constructed within budget and allocated time. We also want to know whether any irregularities in respect of the contract have come to light over the years. Given SAPS’s obvious difficulty in operationalising this rural station, we also want a justification for why such a huge station was built in a low crime area, where the need for other services, such as a school, are even greater.
The DA will continue to fight to ensure that the community of Riemvasmaak has access to basic services, including a walk-in police station and to rescue the people of Riemvasmaak from crime.