As violent crime continues to escalate in the Northern Cape province, already burdened by its vast distances, the Democratic Alliance (DA) is calling on the Acting Minister of Police to urgently intervene in the severe delays affecting SAPS vehicle repairs.
During an oversight inspection at the Kimberley SAPS garage, serving the Frances Baard District, it was revealed that 193 SAPS vehicles are currently awaiting repairs. This alarming backlog is severely compromising the ability of police officers to respond effectively to crime and protect communities.
The oversight visit further uncovered:
• Critical staff shortages, including the vacant post of garage commander;
• Delays caused by supplier backlogs, incorrect parts and excessive bureaucratic red tape;
• Administrative and Supply Chain Management bottlenecks slowing down repairs; and
• Sixteen vehicle repairs currently stalled due to outstanding documentation, while district vehicle availability stands at only 83.53%.
These failures are especially concerning given that several of Kimberley’s four police stations feature among the national top 30 stations for crimes including attempted murder, sexual offences, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH), common robbery, contact-related crimes, and residential and non-residential burglaries.
The Kimberley garage is just one of five SAPS garages serving the entire Northern Cape. This raises further concerns that garages in other districts may be facing similar challenges, aggravating a reduction in visible policing and weakening SAPS operational capacity across the province.
Police cannot fight crime without operational vehicles yet SAPS’ tyre print in the Northern Cape remains far too weak to effectively police the Frances Baard district and the province’s vast rural communities.
We cannot continue to allow criminals to exploit the province’s size, limited resources and inadequate police visibility, often with deadly consequences.
The DA will raise these serious concerns about the chronic under-resourcing of policing in the Northern Cape before the Select Committee on Security and Justice and continue to push for urgent interventions to restore policing capacity and visibility, and to ensure that communities are protected.