For the past three years the Kensington Police Station has had no functional police holding cells. This was revealed by Ward 56 councillor Cheslyn Steenberg.
In a letter addressed to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee of Police, Steenberg expressed his concern, and said when he had previously served as chair of the community policing forum between 2022 and 2023 there were no police-holding cells.
“It was then that the cells could not be used for various reasons given to us at the time. These included the plumbing, and then later it became the fire hydrants and so on. To date, no real answers have been forthcoming to the people of Kensington and Factreton.
According to Steenberg, detainees are held at Maitland Police Station, about 5 km from the area.
“When detainees are transported to Maitland Police Station it raises great concern for the safety of the community and the officers transporting these detainees, reason being on any given day the Kensington police has one police van on its shift, noting the extra officers that are at times deployed, such as the CPU, which makes it two or three vehicles, but not daily.”
Steenberg claimed transporting detainees there leaves the community vulnerable to many types of crime that require police action.
“I am also made to understand that Pinelands police also use the Maitland police cells for their detainees.”
The councillor called on the portfolio committee to address the matter with urgency.
“From what I can see the police are dragging their feet to have the basics seen to. I pray that something major does not happen before action is taken.”
Jameelah Liedeman, CPF chair, said the forum had made several enquiries at their sub-district meeting with the chair regarding this.
“In 2024, there was a tender that was approved but the project was stopped with no real explanation as to what the problems were. We are awaiting feedback from National regarding this problem as it truly affects the officers, but greater still, the community.
“I truly believe that when the cells are in operation the morale at the station will improve and the community will also be served better.”
Mluleki Mbhele, Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) provincial secretary, said this situation is not confined to Kensington Police Station.
“Issues of health and safety, dilapidated buildings/infrastructure and appalling working conditions remain a challenge in most Police Station within the Western Cape. On several occasions [police trade union] Popcru have raised these issues and many more with the portfolio committee through our National Head Office.”
Mbhele said blame is being shifted but nothing is being done.
“We are also aware that the blame will be apportioned to the police, who have little to do with these issues. It should be noted with caution that a very limited budget is allocated to the police for maintenance of minor defects and the larger portion of maintenance is located under the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPW).
“These maintenance requests are timeously sent to DPW, and it will prioritise through a process we are not privy to.”
Mbhele said as a union they have been calling for the maintenance budget of all police stations and correctional facilities to be given directly to these departments “so that they can do their own maintenance without being rationed.
“This will enhance the conditions not only for employees, but for the citizens who are also utilising these facilities for various purposes.”
Col Andrè Traut, provincial police spokesperson, said: “Due to safety and humanitarian concerns, the holding cells at Kensington police station are currently not in use. This matter is receiving the necessary attention, and plans are underway to address the situation to ensure that detainees will no longer need to be accommodated at Maitland or any other neighbouring stations.”
People’s Post did not receive any response from Ian Cameron, the portfolio committee chair on police at the time of going to print.
