The Gauteng Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Community Safety has raised alarm over deteriorating infrastructure and outdated Information and Communication Technology (ICT) systems at the South African Police Service Pretoria West police station, warning that the problems are severely affecting crime-fighting efforts in the area.
The concerns emerged during an oversight visit conducted by the committee last week.
The committee on Sunday said it had uncovered “serious infrastructure and ICT challenges that are severely undermining effective policing and service delivery”.
According to the committee, the station currently operates from three separate office buildings, creating operational difficulties for officers and management.
“This fragmented infrastructure arrangement has a direct negative impact on command and control, coordination among units and the overall operational effectiveness of the station due to the significant distance between the buildings,” the statement read.
The committee warned that the split infrastructure weakens the station’s ability to respond effectively to crime-related incidents in a precinct already battling serious criminal activity.
Outdated systems delaying policing operations
The committee also highlighted concerns over obsolete computer equipment and poor network connectivity at the station.
“Equally concerning is the station’s outdated computer equipment and slow, unreliable network connectivity, which continue to hamper critical administrative functions, delay case processing, disrupt access to essential policing systems and undermine the overall efficiency of law enforcement operations,” the committee said.
Members of the committee were further briefed on escalating cases of hijackings and kidnappings in the Pretoria West precinct.
The committee also raised concerns over the continued proliferation of illegal scrapyards and hijacked buildings in the area, describing them as hubs for criminal activity.
Hijacked building next to police station sparks outrage
One of the most concerning revelations during the visit was that a building adjacent to the police station itself had allegedly been hijacked.
“Of particular concern is the alarming revelation that a building located adjacent to the police station itself has been hijacked,” the committee said.
“This shocking reality raises serious questions about law enforcement visibility and the broader state of crime control within the precinct.”
The committee described the situation as “wholly unacceptable” and called for urgent intervention from all relevant law enforcement and government stakeholders.
It has now called on Gauteng police commissioner Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni to urgently intervene and ensure immediate remedial action is taken.
“A police station is the nerve centre of community safety and cannot be expected to effectively combat crime while operating under such unacceptable conditions,” the committee said.
“Communities deserve police stations that are properly resourced, functional and capable of effectively responding to crime. The current state of affairs at Pretoria West Police Station undermines public trust and weakens the fight against crime.”
