Crime prevention and police visibility in Gauteng are stifled because 710 out of 5,630 police vehicles are not serviceable. This endangers residents in a crime-ridden province. The DA Gauteng demands Premier Panyaza Lesufi engage with his national counterpart, Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu, and the Gauteng Provincial SAPS Commissioner, Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni, to prioritise replacing these vehicles to enable effective policing.
Premier Panyaza Lesufi disclosed this information in a written response to questions posed by the Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL). Among the police stations facing considerable difficulties are Ivory Park, where 16 of its 78 vehicles are unserviceable and Pretoria Central, which has 14 out of 80 inoperative vehicles.
See full reply here.
This again underscores the Lesufi-led administration’s failure to prioritise the safety of Gauteng’s residents. Replacing these vehicles could have helped prevent many crimes. By allowing them to remain inoperable, the administration is surrendering community safety to opportunistic criminals who consistently find ways to stay ahead of inadequate policing efforts.
The DA will submit questions to the Premier to determine why many police vehicles, which have been declared unserviceable, have not yet been replaced. We will also request a timeline for when their replacement will occur, as any delay poses serious consequences for the people of Gauteng.
A DA-led Gauteng Provincial Government would prioritise replacing these vehicles to enhance emergency response times and strengthen public trust in law enforcement, ensuring that officers have the essential resources to serve and protect efficiently.
The DA Gauteng is committed to holding the incompetent Lesufi-led government accountable for failing to ensure the necessary resources to fight crime in our province.