Base falling apart
Discontent over water cuts, safety, poor roads
The former Group 39 army base, now known as the base of the South African Police Services (SAPS) area commissioner, is slowly falling apart.
Residents living on the base say they have been raising complaints about deteriorating living conditions since 2010, but their concerns have been falling on deaf ears. Some police members spoke to The Rep on condition of anonymity citing fears that they would get into trouble.
One of the concerns relates to leaning trees – some of which have already collapsed, one onto a house and one onto a parked car – which threaten the safety of houses and their residents. One of the residents said the area was not often cleaned and the interleading roads were in a shocking condition. Recently, the residents took up the issue of not having water for two months and a meeting was held. Shortly thereafter, water was restored.
“We can not protest – we are the police. We have been reporting the leakages, some of which are destroying the roads.” Toilets in the homes were also leaking. Garbage collection by the Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality (EMLM) was erratic. Police management was also accused of not intervening on their behalf and not taking the lack of maintenance up with the department of public works and EMLM.
The members staying there said that safety would be an issue if they had to relocate and that they preferred to live among other SAPS members. Damage to vehicles was reported due to the deteriorating state of the roads while street lights were not operational. The swimming pool was full of stagnant water and had not been maintained or used for a prolonged period.
Vacant and vandalised buildings, some bearing the marks of gangs, litter the once-proud army base. Windows and doors have been removed and presumably stolen while even floor boards have been taken out.
There is evidence of drug usage in at least one of the buildings.
“The people who smoke drugs, are normally involved in criminal activities. It is hard to complain about the vacant buildings because you will be told if you do not like it you should move out.”
The police members often work at night and feel the base is safer for their families – even though the guard hut at the entrance to the grounds now stands empty and vandalised.
Eastern Cape police spokesperson Colonel Sibongile Soci confirmed that the provincial and cluster supply chain management were responsible for the day-to-day maintenance of buildings that were occupied by SAPS members.
"All the allegations from the occupants of the building have been noted. They are being looked at by the department of public works. Other matters, such as the removal of garbage and maintenance of roads, are municipality-related and the Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality should be contacted for comment.”
EMLM spokesperson Fundile Feketshane had not responded to questions by The Rep.
Lonwabo Kowa of the Chris Hani District Municipality said the base, like other premises of government departments, was not serviced by CHDM.
“However, we have a mainline that passes through the army base where we experienced a major leak that was repaired two weeks ago. A few months ago, our team detected huge water losses at the base caused by a leak and after we notified SAPS management, the leak was repaired.”