Note to Editors: Attached please find a soundbite in English by DA MPL, Michael Waters here.
At a time when many Gauteng police stations lack basic resources such as vehicles, holding cells and telephones, the Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG) has spent nearly R119 million on its e-panic button programme. Yet, residents continue to face delays in police response due to a shortage of vehicles, raising serious concerns about whether the government is prioritising costly technology projects over basic resources needed to keep communities safe.
Replying to questions posed by the Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL), Gauteng MEC for e-Government, Bonginkosi Dhlamini, revealed that nearly R119 million has already been spent on the e-panic button programme. He further disclosed that an additional R87.1 million is earmarked for support and maintenance, R15.3 million for change management and R13.8 million for development expenditure.
The MEC further confirmed that the programme costs taxpayers approximately R5.4 million every month to operate. He also admitted that the department does not directly manage third-party responders, has no direct contracts with emergency response providers, and has failed to put formal interdepartmental agreements in place to govern the emergency response services linked to the programme.
In addition, the department effectively admits that responsibility for emergency response functions sits elsewhere, despite e-Government funding and administering the overall programme. This raises serious concerns about accountability, oversight, procurement structures, and the programme’s operational effectiveness. It further calls into question whether this programme, which is costing Gauteng residents millions of rands, falls within the department’s core mandate and, if not, why the department continues to fund it.
While technology-driven safety initiatives can enhance crime fighting, they should never be prioritised over the basics of effective policing, which require well-equipped and properly trained men and women on the ground to respond swiftly and keep the people of our province safe. Moreover, the lack of transparency on how the system operates, who is accountable during emergencies, and what measurable outcomes have been achieved casts serious doubt over the credibility of the project.
At a time when Gauteng faces enormous financial pressure and collapsing basic services, the government cannot afford expensive programmes without clear accountability, measurable performance indicators, and transparent governance structures.
The DA will write to the Committee Chairperson for e-Gov, Mbali Hlophe, requesting that she call MEC Dhlamini to come and explain where his department fits into this project and account for the monies spent without any clear return on investment.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) is the only party that takes seriously the poor condition of our police stations and the unacceptable working conditions many police officers are forced to endure. Instead of allowing departments to spend money outside their core mandates, a DA-led government will engage the National Minister of Police Firoz Cachalia to devolve policing powers so that resources can be directed towards fixing the basic foundations of effective policing, including infrastructure, vehicles, staffing, and equipment.