Police prefab move in limbo as ‘logistics’ delay drags on
A YEAR after the Cambridge police station put up 22 prefab structures for its 44 detectives to use as offices, they have yet to use the facilities.
The delayed move into the prefabs has been caused by “logistical issu the police said yesterday.
The procurement of the prefab offices was made as a move to improve service delivery.
Each prefab has three offices, an air conditioner for each block and grey fabric blinds.
Very little maintenance has been carried out in and around them, and knee-high weeds now surround the structures.
Some of the police station’s 44 detectives are housed at the Spoornet goods shed near Hemingways Mall, and some at the Cambridge police station.
The detectives based in the goods shed have to travel 6km to fetch dockets from the police station, incurring additional costs.
In 2015, the police bought the prefab structures, which were placed on open ground opposite the police station in Garcia Street in 2016.
About 20 of the 44 detectives based at the goods shed were expected to move into the prefab offices last year.
But that never happened and to date the offices have remained unused while the state pays thousands of rands in rental for the goods shed space. It could not be established how much has been paid in rent.
Insiders claim that the detectives at the goods shed have had to work away from their colleagues for more than five years.
The police station serves 28 suburbs and five informal settlements.
Not having all the detectives in a single station also has its impact on the residents the police station serves, because when they report matters to Cambridge, they only learn later that the detectives responsible for their cases are stationed at the goods shed.
Cambridge police spokesman Captain Mluleki Mbi yesterday said logistics surrounding the move were in their final stages.
“The new facility – the prefab structure – is yet to be occupied pending some logistical needs which will be finalised soon.
“This will ensure that all detectives operate under one roof and will eliminate the costs involved in the leasing of other facilities for them,” said Mbi.
Mbi said the detectives’ move away from the station was initially an operational decision for them to be closer to the communities they serve.
“Service delivery is not hampered in any way by the arrangement as cases are opened at the police station and not at the offices/ premises occupied by the detectives,” he said. —