South Africa: Government Has Stripped the Dignity From the Eastern Cape Saps

The IFP has slammed the government for failing to solve the problem of the lack of proper sanitation which has existed since 2008 at the Bridge Camp Police Station in Mthatha and Ilinge Police Station in Queenstown.

The IFP Spokesperson on Police, Mr Velaphi Ndlovu said “In Bridge Camp Police Station, police officers use bushes to relieve themselves as there are no toilets inside the police station premises. In addition, there are only two police vehicles to respond to the crime scenes. In Ilinge Police Station, police officers are forced to use toilets in nearby people’s homes as the sanitation has collapsed at the police station”.

“Government and the provincial departments in the Eastern Cape have stripped the dignity from the police officers working at these police stations. How are these police officers expected to perform their duties properly if they are so poorly resourced? Why have the Department of Public Works and the SAPS authorities failed to attend to these problems urgently? Why has the Municipality failed to intervene? How can SAPS motivate people to become police officers knowing the conditions some police officers have to work under? asked Ndlovu.

The IFP condemns this treatment of people who play such a vital role in protecting our communities. The IFP calls for answers from the Eastern Cape Provincial government, the SAPS, the Department of Public Works and the Municipality. The Human Rights Commission should investigate this situation.