Refurbishments of the Kensington police holding cells, which have not been functional for more than three years, are set to start this month (July).
In April, Ward 56 councillor Cheslyn Steenberg, penned a letter to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Police, stating that the cells had not been in service since 2022.
As a result detainees are held at Maitland Police Station, about 5 km from the area.
Speaking to People’s Post previously, Mluleki Mbhele, Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) provincial secretary, said limited budget was allocated to the police for maintenance of minor defects.
“The larger portion of maintenance is located under the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI),” he added.
However, a press statement from the department mentioned “the Kensington Police Station has been devolved to the South African Police Service”, that it is responsible for the station and not the DPWI.
In an interview with People’s Post last week, WO David Stemmit, Kensington spokesperson, confirmed that refurbishment of the 10 holding cells. The work includes plumbing, painting, replacement of burglar bars and repairing the locks on the gates.
“With regard to detainees, they are still kept at Maitland,” he said.
Steenberg welcomed the upgrades and said it had been a long time coming.
“I am pleased to see our pressure has paid off and the Kensington cells will be repaired in the interest of the community this police station serves, especially the officers.”
Steenberg said he hoped “meaningful thought” was considered for the long-term maintenance plans for the cells.
“This is so that we don’t fall into the same situation in a year or two,” he added.
Jameela Liedeman, Community Policing Forum chair, said: “The greatest concern has always been for the safety of police officers during the transfer of arrested persons and the fact that our community was left without adequate services as a vehicle and at least two officers were out of the precinct for unspecified timeframes.”
Liedeman said this would be a relief for Maitland Police Station.
“We are elated that finally the holding cells will be repaired to the standards required and this too will be a relief for our neighbouring precinct who has been assisting for many more years.”
Stemmit could not specify exactly when refurbishments would be completed.
