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Today, the Democratic Alliance (DA) will write to the Provincial Police Commissioner, Lt General Tembi Hadebe, requesting urgent intervention at Roossenekal Police station

In excess of R10.5 million worth of damages has been inflicted on the electricity infrastructure in Roossenekal, but SAPS appear disinterested in bringing the culprits to book.

Power outages as a result of cable theft has become the daily norm for the residents in the town, sometimes for days on end. The entire town comes to a halt and residents in the old age home are suffering without access to simple amenities to help them cope. The local clinic, which does not have a generator, cannot keep medicines at the correct temperatures.

The police station, which according to residents closes at 6pm each evening, seem oblivious to the problem, and have done nothing to bring the criminals to book.

The townsfolk themselves are capable of finding the damaged poles, but the police seem to be blind to them.

“We do not have petrol or a vehicle” or “we do not have the resources” are the standard responses from the police station when people phone after hours for assistance.

The locals say that anyone visiting the station after 7pm will find the station doors closed and officers asleep on the benches.

Apart from petitioning the provincial police commissioner, we will submit questions to the Minister of Police, Bheki Cele, for an explanation into the lack of resources at the Roossenekal police station.

We cannot sit back and allow incompetence and lack of accountability of our police force to bring an entire town to its knees.

Issued by The DA