42% of EC police stations don’t answer phones MyZA

There needs to be an urgent investigation into the effectiveness of the SAPS in the Eastern Cape to answer telephones. According to a study done by the Democratic Alliance 53 police stations in the Eastern Cape did not answer their phones at the time of being called. (See below) A further 27 numbers that are listed on the police website appeared not to work. This means there are potentially problems at 42%, or 80 of the 191 police stations in the province.

This is an alarming indictment of police efficiency. The rot must stop and discipline must be restored. Action must be taken.

A safe and secure environment is one of the pre-conditions for economic growth. This kind of inefficiency contributes to joblessness in the Eastern Cape.

Yesterday I tabled a parliamentary question to determine whether the SAPS conducts similar studies and if not, we want to know why. The SAPS also needs to rectify the incorrectly listed numbers.

Provincially the SAPS must pull up its socks by increasing police responsiveness when it comes to telephone calls. People only phone police stations when they are in urgent need of assistance. One hates to imagine how many calls are going unanswered from victims of crime in this province.

The DA will continue to monitor this situation to ensure police efficiency is improved in the province. I have also written to the MEC for Safety and Liaison, Helen Sauls-August, requesting her department as part of their oversight role to monitor the answering of telephones.

Not Answered:

Algoapark (041 394 7205 at 12:03pm on 4 May 2012)
Bavianskloof (Phone: 049 839 1033 at 11:39am 21 May 2012)
Bell (Phone: 040 677 0255 at 11:45am on 21 May 2012)
Bityi (Phone: 047 538 9901 at 11:54am on 21 May 2012)
Buffalo Flats (Phone: 043 7095 506 at 12:15pm on 21 May 2012)
Butterworth (Phone: 047 4013 455 at 12:20pm on 21 May 2012)
Cathcart (Phone: 045 843 6005 at 12:27pm on 21 May 2012)
Centani (Phone: 047 498 1054 at 12:28pm on 21 May 2012)
Chalumna (Phone: 043 781 1639 at 12:30pm on 21 May 2012)
Chungwa (Phone: 040 656 2325 at 12:34pm on 21 May 2012)
Dalasile (Phone: 047 548 6200/1) Both NA (12:53pm on 21 May 2012)
Despatch (Phone: 041 933 3291 at 1:05pm on 21 May 2012)
Dimbaza (Phone: 040 656 4300 at 1:08pm on 21 May 2012)
Doringkloof (Phone: 046 684 0859 at 1:12pm on 21 May 2012)
Duncan Village (Phone: 043 722 4765 at 1:17pm on 21 May 2012)
East London (Phone: 043 722 5555 at 1:21pm on 21 May 2012)
Flagstaff (Phone: 039 252 0211 at 2:13pm on 21 May 2012)
Fort Brown (Phone: 046 622 7777 at 2:17pm on 21 May 2012)
Glen Grey (Phone: 047 878 8798 at 2:29pm on 21 May 2012)
Grahamstown (Phone: 046 603 9100 at 2:35pm on 21 May 2012)
Hankey (Phone: 041 284 8201 at 2:46pm on 21 May 2012)
Healdtown (Phone: 040 645 9050 at 2:55pm on 21 May 2012)
Hogsback (Phone: 045 962 1030 at 3:07pm on 21 May 2012)
Humansdorp (Phone: 042 200 4700 at 3:13pm on 21 May 2012)
Humewood (Phone: 041 504 5057 at 3:13pm on 21 May 2012)
Indwe (Phone: 045 952 1183 at 3:18pm on 21 May 2012)
Inyibiba (Phone: 043 708 4600/1 at 3:21pm on 21 May 2012)
Kabega Park (Phone: 041 360 1702 at 3:32pm on 21 May 2012)
Kamesh (Phone: 042 988 8722 at 3:35pm on 21 May 2012)
Kareedouw (Phone: 042 288 7400 at 3:39pm on 21 May 2012)
Keiskammahoek (Phone: 040 658 0205 at 3:44pm on 21 May 2012)
Kolomane (Phone: 040 635 8002 at 4:08pm on 21 May 2012)
Kwaaiman (Phone: 047 575 9205 at 4:14pm on 21 May 2012)
Mount Fletcher (Phone: 039 257 0003 at 5:48pm on 21 May 2012)
Mount Frere (Phone: 039 255 1419 at 5:48pm on 21 May 2012)
Moyeni (Phone: 040 676 1066 at 5:50pm on 21 May 2012)
Msobomvu (Phone: 047 492 0301 at 5:53pm on 21 May 2012)
Mthatha (Phone: 047 531 2221 at 5:53pm on 21 May 2012)
New Brighton (Phone: 041 394 7302 at 6:00pm on 21 May 2012)
Ngqeleni (Phone: 047 568 0329 at 6:02pm on 21 May 2012)
Queenstown (Phone: 045 808 1888 at 6:36pm on 21 May 2012)
Qumbu (Phone: 047 553 0003 at 6:37pm on 21 May 2012)
St Francis Bay (Phone: 042 200 1818 at 7:02pm on 21 May 2012)
Steve Vukile Tshwete (Phone: 040 636 0012 at 7:42pm on 21 May 2012)
Storms River (Phone: 042 281 1678 at 7:44pm on 21 May 2012)
Sulenkama (Phone: 047 557 0465 at 7:45pm on 21 May 2012)
Swartkops (Phone: 041 408 8333 at 7:47pm on 21 May 2012)
Thembalethu (Phone: 044 802 8900 at 7:52pm on 21 May 2012)
Thornhill (Phone: 040 845 0010 at 7:53pm on 21 May 2012)
Tina Falls (Phone: 047 553 0041/53) Both NA (7:54pm on 21 May 2012)
Tylden (Phone: 045 8397 111 at 8:03pm on 21 May 2012)
Whittlesea (Phone: 040 842 1753 at 8:37pm on 21 May 2012)
Willowvale (Phone: 047 499 6215 at 8:38pm on 21 May 2012)

Numbers not working:

Addo (042 233 0314 – Does not exist at 11:43am 4 May 2012))
Aliwal North (051 633 1482 – Wrong number at 12:08pm 4 May 2012))
Barkly East (045 971 0099 – Does not exist at 11:36am 21 May 2012)
Beacon Bay (043 748 6071/0 – Both do not exist at 11:41am 21 May 2012)
Bedford (Phone: 046 685 0264 – Does not exist at 11:42am on 21 May 2012)
Bisho Airport (Phone: 040 255 1015 – Broken at 11:52am on 21 May 2012)
Gelvandale (Phone: 041 452 7070 – Does not exist on 21 May 2012)
Ilinge (Phone: 047 872 9008 – Fax at 3:16pm on 21 May 2012)
Kwanobuhle (Phone: 041 9786100 – Call failed at 4:17pm on 21 May 2012)
Kwazakele (Phone: 041 401 9101 – Does not exist at 4:17pm on 21 May 2012)
Lady Frere (Phone: 047 876 8008 – Does not exist at 4:18pm on 21 May 2012)
Lukholweni (Phone: 039 257 3012 Fax at 4:33pm on 21 May 2012)
Lusikisiki (Phone: 039 253 1333 – Does not exist at 4:34pm on 21 May 2012)
Maluti (Phone: 039 256 0108 – Wrong number at 4:44pm on 21 May 2012)
Madadeni (034 3146600/02 – Does not exist at 4:36pm on 21 May 2012)
Middelburg (EC) (Phone: 049 842 1958 – Wrong number at 4:59pm on 21 May 2012)
Mooiplaas (Phone: 043 8511441 – Does not exist at 5:43pm on 21 May 2012)
Mpisi (Phone: 039 2517003 – Does not exist at 5:50pm on 21 May 2012)
Mzamba (Phone: 039 365 6080 – Does not exist at 5:56pm on 21 May 2012)
Ndevana (Phone: 040 647 0078 – Does not exist at 5:58pm on 21 May 2012)
Rhodes (Phone: 045 974 9000 – Fax at 6:40pm on 21 May 2012)
Thornhill Ciskei (Phone: 042 286 0745 – Does not exist at 7:53pm on 21 May 2012)
Uitenhage (Phone: 041 996 3606 – Does not exist at 8:04pm on 21 May 2012)
Uniondale (Phone: 044 752 1003 – Does not exist at 8:07pm on 21 May 2012)
Vulindlela (Phone: 043 762 2111 – Does not exist at 8:39pm on 21 May 2012)
Walmer (Phone: 041 581 1949 – Does not exist at 8:30pm on 21 May 2012)
Willowmore (Phone: 044 923 8131 – Fax at 8:38pm on 21 May 2012)