R25.5 Million Mdantsane Police Facility Sits Vandalised and Abandoned Before Opening
- A multi-million-rand police cluster facility in Mdantsane, Eastern Cape, was vandalised and set alight before it ever opened to the public
- eNCA footage showed broken windows, scattered SAPS paperwork, and an open perimeter fence at the R25.5 million Fort Jackson building
- Confidential records including dockets and witness affidavits were reportedly found inside, prompting calls for an IPID investigation
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EASTERN CAPE — A R25.5 million state-funded police facility in Fort Jackson, Mdantsane, has never opened its doors and already lies stripped, vandalised and partially burnt out, with confidential police documents left scattered inside.
According to eNCA, the building was completely unsecured, allowing people to gain entry without obstruction through an open perimeter fence. The building had damaged windows, a wrecked generator and evidence of a fire inside the structure. The cost of restoring the building could be millions of rand.
Facility left unsecured
The Daily Dispatch first reported on 26 October 2026 that the facility had been left unsecured and recently set alight, with confidential records still on the premises. Among the documents reportedly found were dockets and witness affidavits, a discovery that has since prompted calls for an investigation by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID).
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The building was designed to house several specialised police units, including the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences unit, the forensics division, and the tactical response team. Despite the facility sitting unused, police in the area continue to rent office space across Mdantsane and in the central business district.
Police station metres away from wreckage
What was concerning was the proximity of an operational police station and Flying Squad offices to the abandoned building. The vandalism had occurred in full view of a neighbouring law enforcement presence.
A sign the building as a "Mdantsane Cluster Office". The broadcaster reported it was still awaiting responses from both the South African Police Service and the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure at the time of publication.
View a video of the building on Facebook here:
Illegal residents hijack old Hillbrow Police Station building
In a related article, Briefly News reported on the old Hillbrow Police Station building, which has been occupied by 23 families since 2016.
The building was abandoned after a new station opened in 2014, and a councillor said he had encouraged homeless residents to move in. The dispute has sparked anger among South Africans, while the City of Johannesburg has reported identifying 413 illegally occupied buildings across Gauteng.
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Source: Briefly News
