Muizenberg Police Station has been described as ‘falling apart’ with holding cells underwater, toilets flooding and non-working switchboards.
Heide Goodman, treasurer of the Muizenberg Community Policing Forum (CPF), addressed provincial police management at a Muizenberg Community Imbizo held at Capricorn Primary School on Thursday 15 June.
The imbizo was called to address community concerns around policing, however, the hall was filled with empty seats as it was scheduled on short notice.
“What we have highlighted is that a mobile station for Vrygrond is essential and it needs to be a 24-hour station. It cannot work from 08:00 to 17:00,” she said, adding that they were promised it would be up and running on Saturday 1 July.
Another major concern she highlighted, was the conditions in which Muizenberg police were forced to work in. “The station is falling apart. It is wet in winter, and the holding cells where awaiting prisoners are kept are underwater.
“The staff toilets, the public toilets are flooded and there are no switchboards that we can guarantee are working.”
Goodman further explained that police have to use a cellphone donated by a resident to receive calls.
“The switchboard maybe works 10 percent of the time. There’s a cellphone that a community member donated to the station and often it doesn’t work and we advise the community to use 10111.”
Wynberg CPF cluster chair Shamila Nicholas said Muizenberg Police Station was one of the top 30 stations with worrying crime figures. “I am concerned about Muizenberg.
“Muizenberg is one of our top stations that we are worried about and as you know from the last crime results, they are part of the top 30 so clearly there is a concern.”
Addressing the issue of calling a community imbizo at such short notice with a very small turnout, she asked for another date to be set.
“What I also want to mention, is the times we have these meetings, with much respect general, we can’ have it within 48 hours and then we don’t invite the right role players. We need to look at giving it an extension so that we can get everyone out here.”
Nicholas also pointed out that it was important to ensure the safety of police.
“Recently you would have seen Saps and Law enforcement officers being shot at while on duty. It is our responsibility to also ensure that we look around to give them information, we also need to protect members.”
Acting provincial commissioner, Maj Gen Bongani Maqashalala, said provincial police were in the process of looking to acquire land.
“The provincial management is in consultation with the City of Cape Town with the view to acquire land, it is not only in this area.
“We are also looking for land at Lwandle, Mfuleni and here in Muizenberg. So, we are very interested in communities and we appreciate the fact that police stations should be closer to working programmes. We will keep informing you of the progress and from the provincial police side we will intensify the engagement with the city.”
He said a mobile station will be launched in Vrygrond. “The mobile service centre, I hereby commit that by the 1 July it will be operational. Operational hours will be discussed with management, for now it will be from 08:00 until 16:00.”
