- Police in KwaNobuhle, Uitenhage, say they struggle to do their duties as they only have seven working vehicles.
- Meanwhile, 10 vehicles have stood idle at the police station for many months, mostly due to minor faults such as a burst tyre or a faulty light.
- The local police forum says it has raised the issue with the police before.
A faulty light, a burst tyre, small dents and leaking oil are among the minor faults that have left 10 police vehicles out of service for many months at the KwaNobuhle police station in Uitenhage.
The vehicles are three double cabs, three single cabs and four four-seater cars, GroundUp reported.
According to police officers, they have only seven working vehicles to serve the 100 000 residents of the township.
"Residents are always complaining about poor service delivery at this station," said a warrant officer who did not wish to be named.
He said police had applied in July last year for a burst tyre to be replaced on one vehicle but were still waiting for the new tyre.
He said the police station's management "will do the whole procedure of procurement for mere [front] lights for six months or so".
"We don't have enough vehicles," the officer said.
A member of the KwaNobuhle Community Policing Forum, who also did not want to be named, said the issue of faulty police vehicles had been raised with the police before.
"Meanwhile, community members sit… waiting for one of the four vans that we depend on, while 10 police vehicles are in the backyard… getting rusty," she said.
"Last year, a brigadier who saw this fleet of vehicles shouted at everyone, 'Why is the police station a scrapyard now, what's going on?'" she said.
Police spokesperson Captain Gerda Swart said the issue was of an organisational nature and the provincial office would respond.
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