Lack of professionalism and adequate resources led to the escape of 39 prisoners at Wierdabrug Police Station

Issued by Michael Shackleton MPL – DA Gauteng Spokesperson for Community Safety
17 Jun 2019 in Press Statements

The severe lack of adequate resources, professionalism and understaffing in SAPS has resulted in the escape of 39 undocumented immigrants awaiting trail at the Wierdabrug Police Station in Centurion.

A group of 39 undocumented immigrants were being transported in a police truck from the court to the Wierdabrug Police Station holding cells. Upon arrival at the police station they forcefully overpowered the police and escaped.

This incident clearly indicates that there was not sufficient police manpower to monitor and guard these detainees. The police officers are not adequately trained and have no resources to deal with such situations.

It is very worrying that the police officers are failing to adequately monitor and guard detainees which means that the safety of our people is under threat.

SAPS must speed up their internal investigation into this matter to determine whether there was negligence on the side of the police. If these police officers involved are found guilty they must be dealt with accordingly.

We call on both MEC for Community Safety, Faith Mazibuko and Gauteng SAPS Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General, Elias Mawela to liaise with their national counterpart the Minister of Police, Bheki Cele to ensure that SAPS is properly resourced and professional training is rendered to our police.

The DA has a plan to ensure that we fix SAPS through professionalising the police service and rooting out corrupt police officers. To ensure residents’ safety , the DA will adopt a Community Safety Bill that will push the limits of provinces’ constitutional powers over policing. The Bill will include a number of mechanisms that will introduce real control and oversight over policing by the provincial government.