Western Cape receives 362 SAPS vehicles during 2022/23 financial year

The Western Cape has received an additional 111 SAPS vehicles.

This comes after the Police Minister, Bheki Cele, handed over 251 vehicles to the province, last week.

This means that the 151 police stations in the Western Cape received 362 vehicles during the 2022/23 financial year.

PICTURE: SAPS

The Western Cape’s Police Oversight and Community Safety, Reagen Allen, said he was concerned about the total and inquired about it. Allen says Western Cape Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembisile Patekile, confirmed this week that before the handover of 251 vehicles in Mitchells Plain last Thursday, the balance between 24 June 2022 and 3 April 2023, has been handed over.

“I was concerned about the totals and enquired in order that the facts around the allocation could be established. In January this year, only 14,88%, or 53 of the 362 vehicles were delivered. In the Western Cape, we are constantly sold short on resources, which includes human, equipment and material. As it stands, there is vacancy rate of approximately 10% across our province, which makes effective policing virtually impossible. To assist SAPS, we have had to deploy our Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP) officers in priority areas where the murder rate is highest. Our LEAP officers are serving as force multipliers in these areas and strengthening SAPS’ hand in the fight against crime.”

The MEC says he will visit some of the stations and units to confirm that they have indeed received their vehicles, while also establishing, added Allen, on how the newly obtained resources are being utilized. Allen urged the public to report any misuse of SAPS vehicles to authorities.

“Under no circumstances should these vehicles become white elephants, instead they should be used to aid and serve the communities where they have been allocated. Those tasked with the responsibility of the management of these resources should be held accountable if these are not being used for the benefit of the community, to create visibility and ultimately to combat crime.”

“I urge the community at large to report any misuse of these brand new, or any other police resource. These resources are there to keep all of us safe and for no other reason,” added Reagen Allen, Western Cape’s Police Oversight and Community Safety MEC.

 

Done By: Mitchum George