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SAPS reaction time – 30 minutes

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The Portfolio Committee on Safety and Security released a report on the SAPS in the Easterbn Cape dated 10 September 2013 which has been described by Bobby Stevenson as the most damning report on the operation (non-operation?) of the SAPS to date.

The Portfolio committee in compiling their report visited Eastern Cape South African Police Service (EC-SAPS) Emergency Response Centres and held meetings with centre management with the aim of understanding the operations and challenges confronting these centres. This Committee held meetings with the Provincial Coordinator of SAPS Emergency Response Services, Cluster Commanders and Centre Management from 27 to 31 May 2013.

With regards to the Port Elizabeth 10111 centre the committee found as follows:

  • The 10111 telephones are old and outdated with no headsets, the ACD system (automatic call dispatcher) is not operational and the radio system is also very old.
  • Kinkelbos police station, which is situated strategically along the N2 road, is not linked to the 10111 centre.
  • The reaction time is poor and worse in areas like Gelvandale, Algoa Park and Bethelsdorp, averaging over 30 minutes.

The Committee made the following recommendations:

  • The EC-SAPS must expedite the migration process into the newly established 10111 centre to alleviate the above problems.
  • The EC-SAPS must put systems in place to link the Kinkelbos police station to the 10111 centre. A progress report must be submitted to the Committee within 30 days of the adoption of this report.
  • The EC-SAPS must develop appropriate strategies to improve its response time in Gelvandale, Algoa Park and Bethersdorp.

The committe found the following concerns with the Port Elizabeth Flying Squad:

  • Out of the 21 vehicles allocated to the unit only 9 are functional, 7 vehicles are in the garage because of accidents and mechanical faults, while 4 vehicles are in the process of being withdrawn from service.
  • Vehicles utilised by the unit are not suitable for the terrain in certain areas where the unit operates.
  • Members of the collision unit of the flying squad are not paid overtime and do not receive scarce skills allowance, even though they work overtime and sometimes even at night.
  • Kwazakhele and Bethelsdorp have the most complaints in the whole Province and most calls relate to domestic issues. This is partly due to the fact that the population in the area has grown over the years and there are no social crime prevention activities in the area.

The Committee made the following recommendations:

  • The EC- SAPS must expedite its SCM processes at the Head Office so as to ensure that it does not too long for the vehicles to be repaired. The Autozone contract entered into for the repair of SAPS vehicles in the Port Elizabeth must immediately be reviewed so that the repair of vehicles can be expedited.
  • The EC- SAPS must provide suitable vehicles for use by its members in rough gravel roads.
  • The EC- SAPS must work out suitable mechanisms for the payment of overtime and scarce skills allowances to members of the collision unit in accordance with its overtime and scarce skills payment policy.
  • The EC-SAPS must establish a Satellite Police Station around these areas so as to enable for timeous response to crimes and incidents in these areas.

Editor: What I find completely shocking is that starting from the mid 1990’s the Port Elizabeth flying squad engaged with the local Armed Reaction companies in an effort to reduce the number of false alarms that the SAPS were being despatched to by Alarm Control centres and, at that time the flying squad had 17 vehicles under their direct control. It is now almost 20 years later and we have gone backwards.

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.