Over 50% of South African Police Stations Do Not Answer Their Phones

• DA's oversight visit reveals critical police station unreachability issues across the Western Cape
• Nationwide audit shows over 56% of police stations fail to answer phone calls
• DA plans to escalate findings to the Minister of Police for urgent corrective action

PARLIAMENT, WESTERN CAPE— The Democratic Alliance’s (DA) oversight visit to the 10111 Emergency Communication Centre exposed broader issues that align with nationwide police station unreachability. Officials during the visit reported staff shortages, communication challenges, outdated technology, and difficulties contacting stations.

According to News Day, the findings are consistent with a nationwide audit of 1,025 police stations, which found that more than half could not be reached by telephone. This was revealed by Ian Cameron, National Assembly Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police. Calling a station line remains the main way for people to reach the South African Police Service (SAPS).

Police stations don't answer phones

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The DA audit across all nine provinces, using officially listed contact numbers, found that the method is unreliable. A total of 571 stations did not answer, while 454 answered one or both listed numbers. This means that 56% of police stations could not be reached. The audit also found that several high-crime priority stations across the country could not be reached.

Limpopo recorded the lowest reachability rate, with 78 out of 87 police stations failing to answer their phones. Free State recorded the second-lowest rate. This happens despite the South African government promoting the fact that each police station has its own direct landline number.

Cameron said that a police service that cannot consistently be reached by the public cannot effectively fulfil its mandate. The DA, which recently opened a case against former Ekurhuleni municipal manager Imogen Mashaza, will submit the findings of this audit to the Minister of Police and the National Commissioner and call for corrective action to improve public access to police stations.

DA angry at Helen Zille's latest meeting

In a related article, Briefly News reported that the party slammed its Johannesburg mayoral candidate, Helen Zille, for a meeting she had with March and March leader, Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma. Zille defended her reasons for meeting her.

Source: Briefly News