It is evident that some criminal syndicates are targeting police stations that are not well secured to obtain fire-arms for criminal activity

PRETORIA, South Africa, August 21, 2018/ -- The effectiveness of measures introduced by South African Police Service management to ensure the safety at police stations and SAPS members in general will be under scrutiny in Parliament this coming week.

The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police, Mr Francois Beukman requested during last Wednesday’s Portfolio Committee meeting that the National Commissioner of Police, General Kehla Sitole brief the committee on measures to increase security at police stations.

The attacks on the Kareedouw and a police station in Mthahta during the Parliamentary recess is a clear indication that there are gaps in the plan to address safety at police stations. The lack of progress by SAPS with the implementation of a pro-active national plan to install CCTV-cameras at police station, the upgrading of perimeter fencing and the installation of secure entrance gates is a very huge concern to the committee.  

“Police management should move with speed and determination on this matter,” Mr Beukman said. Tactical training of station members and pro-active crime intelligence is key to address the current worrying situation.

It is evident that some criminal syndicates are targeting police stations that are not well secured to obtain fire-arms for criminal activity. Furthermore, the deployment of sufficient members during the weekend and night shifts is also paramount and station and cluster commanders should on an on-going basis monitor the effectiveness of security measures at police stations.

Beukman also strongly condemned the killing of two police officers, Constable Lonwabo Kili and Constable Siyamcela Ncipa, respectively in Delft and Khayelitsha near Cape Town on Friday-evening.

“Once again the need by criminals to obtain fire-arms from law enforcement officers was the driving force for the attacks. Community members with information on the location of the perpetrators and the stolen fire-arms should contact and inform their nearest police station,” Beukman emphasised.

It is again a confirmation that a group of criminals in the country do not subscribe to the rule of law and a Constitutional State, and law enforcement agencies must ensure that these criminals are arrested and brought before the courts. 

The committee calls on Saps to ensure that the investigation is prioritized to find the killers of the policemen.  

The Committee expressed its sincere condolences to the SAPS, the families and next of kin of the two police officers.    

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament