Die DA sê die eens moderne Algoa Park-polisiekantoor se enkelkwartiere in Gqeberha het verval in ’n onaanvaarbare en onbewoonbare toestand. Volgens die party is die geboue verwaarloos, vuil en oorlaai met vullis, met ernstige tekorte aan veiligheid en infrastruktuur wat inmekaarstort.
Retief Odendaal, die DA se Nelson Mandelabaai-burgemeesterskandidaat, sê hy het saam met ander DA- verteenwoordigers ’n oorsigbesoek aan die perseel gebring, waar hulle die haglike toestande van die enkelkwartiere eerstehands gesien het. Hy sê die geboue is in ’n skokkende toestand en dat polisiebeamptes nie doeltreffend hul werk kan doen as hulle in sulke omstandighede moet woon nie. Volgens hom is die departement van openbare werke en infrastruktuur verantwoordelik vir die bestuur van staatseiendom soos polisiekantore, terwyl die polisie self verantwoordelik bly vir daaglikse instandhouding en netheid. Hy het bevestig dat briewe reeds aan die waarnemende minister van polisie en die minister van openbare werke gestuur is om dringend by dié enkelwartiere in te gryp.
Lees meer hier onder:
DA exposes SAPS Algoa Park barracks deplorable state, demanding Cachalia acts
The once state-of-the-art Algoa Park police barracks in Gqeberha is now derelict and unfit for human habitation.
On Wednesday, I was joined by DA EC Provincial Leader Andrew Whitfield MP, and DA EC Shadow MEC for Community Safety, Yusuf Cassim MPL, in conducting an oversight inspection at the barracks.
We found these buildings in a deplorable state, filthy with piles of waste and straining under a lack of security and collapsing infrastructure.
I have now written to the Acting Minister of Police to immediately make budget available to clean these buildings and make repairs to infrastructure. We cannot expect police officers to effectively participate in catching criminals, convicting criminals and cleaning op our Metro when they live in such deplorable conditions.
The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) is the custodian of public properties such as police stations. However, ongoing maintenance, cleaning, and day-to-day hygiene remain the responsibility of the South African Police Service (SAPS), the client department.
I have also written to DPWI Minister Dean Macpherson and requested him to investigate the state of the Algoa Park police barracks and to intervene where possible.
The municipality has a scourge of derelict problem buildings that have become a haven for criminals. The SAPS must play its part by keeping its buildings clean and well maintained, rather than adding another layer to the crisis.
The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, which owns many of these problem buildings, has done very little to address a crisis that is impacting the health and safety of residents and decimating the tourism potential of the city.
When I led a DA coalition government as mayor from September 2022 to May 2023, I personally revived the Problem Buildings Task Team and began making meaningful progress in addressing individual properties that posed a danger to residents and communities.
Since then, this ANC/EFF-led coalition of chaos has failed to enforce the Problem Buildings Bylaw effectively, and the Task Team has become largely inoperable.
After the Local Government Elections on 4 November, the DA government will quadruple the strength of the metro police to also include a problem building unit to enforce by-laws.
This unit will assist with organising frequent raids by the SAPS, the metro police, and the Public Health Directorate.
The DA government will have a zero-tolerance stance against owners who purposely neglect and or abandon properties, and government departments will not be treated differently.
When the DA takes over government, we will create a safe, growing and working city that will get Nelson Mandela Bay working again.
