ATC130515: Report of the Portfolio Committee on Police on its oversight visit from 26-30 March 2012 to the following Police Stations in the North West Province:

Report of the Portfolio Committee on Police on its oversight visit from 26-30 March 2012 to the following Police Stations in the North West Province :

· Mafikeng Police Station

· Itsoseng Police Station

· Stella Police Station

· Potchefstroom Police Station

· Orkney Police Station

TABLE OF CONTENTS	PAGE
1. Structure of the report
2. Introduction
3. Key observations, specific recommendations and additional information requested
3.1 Mafikeng Police Station (26 March 2012)
3.2 Itsoseng Police Station (27 March 2012)
3.3 Stella Police Station (28 March 2012)
3.4 Potchefstroom Police Station (29 March 2012)
3.5 Orkney Police Station (30 March 2012)
4. General Concerns and Recommendations
5. Outstanding matters

The Portfolio Committee on Police having conducted an oversight visit to Mafikeng , Itsoseng, Stella, Potchefstroom and Orkney Police Stations from

26-30 March 2012 reports as follows:

1. STRUCTURE OF THE REPORT

This Report is divided into five sections.

Section One : outlines the structure of the Report.

Section Two : Introduction outlines the objectives of the visits, the stations visited, and the members of the delegation; and explains the methodology used during the visits.

Section Three : Key Observations, Specific Recommendations and Additional Information Requested - records in some detail the observations of the members of the Portfolio Committee on Police with respect to each of the police stations.

The observations in this section are organised according to station to provide a detailed overview of the issues, problems and successes noted by the members at each of the stations.

In addition, under each station, there is a section on additional information requested. Timeframes were given for receipt of this information and it is recorded in the report as to whether this information was received or not, within the stipulated time period.

Lastly, under each station, there is a sub-section on Specific Concerns and Recommendations which identifies a number of specific concerns and recommendations that have been made by the Committee with respect to the individual police station concerned.

Section Four : General Concerns and Recommendations - highlights general concerns of the Committee emanating from the oversight visit as a whole and includes a number of general recommendations to the Department of Police arising from these concerns. It should be noted that these recommendations are directed to both the National Department of Police, and the North West Provincial Commissioner, and will also be taken up by the Committee in its interaction with the Department during the budget and other oversight processes of Parliament. The Department will be expected to respond to these concerns and recommendations during these processes.

Section Five: Outstanding issues – highlights information requested by the Committee that is still outstanding for response from the Provincial office or the stations concerned.

2. INTRODUCTION

The Portfolio Committee on Police undertook an oversight visit to the five police stations in North West Province in the period 26-30 March 2012.

Objectives of the visit

The objectives of the oversight visit to the police stations in North West were to assess:

• service delivery at station level;
• the implementation, at station level, of the budget approved by Parliament;
• the implementation, at station level, of policies and legislations passed by Parliament; and
• whether or not stations are abiding by the performance plan and code of conduct of the SAPS.

Delegation

Members of Parliament

Ms LS Chikunga (ANC), Chairperson and leader of the delegation

Mr G Lekgetho (ANC)

Ms PA Mocumi (ANC)

Ms MA Molebatsi (ANC)

Ms D Sibiya (ANC)

Ms A Van Wyk (ANC)

Ms D Kohler Barnard (DA)

Mr P Groenewald (FF+)

Rev Meshoe (ACDP)

Parliamentary Officials

Ms Z Vice (Committee Secretary)

Mr K Lobi (Committee Assistant)

Mr M Buthelezi (Researcher)

The delegation was accompanied by the following officials:

Members of the North West Provincial Legislature

Hon. M. Matsemela Chairperson on Human Settlement, Public Safety & Liaison.

Hon. F. Motladiile

Hon. V.Kekesi

Hon. S.P. Motswenyane

South African Police Service

Head Office

LT General Dramat - Head: Directorate for Priority Crime Inv.

LT General Mbekela - Human Resources Development

North West Province

LT General Mbombo - Provincial Commissioner

Major General Mpembe - Deputy Provincial Commissioner

Major General Tsumane - Deputy Provincial Commissioner

Major General Molefe - Deputy Provincial Commissioner

Major General Naidoo - Deputy Provincial Commissioner

Major General Matthews - Cluster Commander

Brigadier Van Zyl - Provincial Head: Detectives

Colonel Moagi - Supply Chain Management

Brigadier Makhosi - Cluster Commander

Brigadier Le Grange - Cluster Commander

Colonel Qumashe - Cluster Commander

Independent Complaints Directorate

Ms L Nonjaduka - Parliamentary Liaison Officer

Ms Masibi - Investigator

Mr Koliya - Investigator

Ms Potlaki - Investigator

Ms Meruti - Investigator

Ms Wageng - Investigator

Mr Motaung - Investigator

Secretariat of Police

Mr S Mahote - Parliamentary Liaison Officer

Ms B Mboniswa - Provincial coordination

Ms B Mazibuko - Personal Assistant (Chief Director)

Ms E Galane - Admin Clerk

Mr S Sibanyoni - Information Analyst

Ms C Msada - Transformation &Compliance

Ms N Matshaba - Service Delivery an Performance Audit

Ms R Pule - Admin Clerk

The delegation met with the station management team at each of the police stations.

The Committee would like to appreciate the Provincial Commissioner and his officials for availing themselves and accompanying the Committee throughout the oversight visit.

Methodology

In its visit to police stations, the Committee utilises the Station Monitoring Tool (SMT) to assist in ensuring comprehensive gathering and interrogation of information. The SMT is designed to ensure that members cover a wide range of issues during the visit - ranging from information on management of the stations, capacity of detectives, human and physical resources, and implementation of prioritised legislation, including the Domestic Violence Act No. 116 of 1998, the Firearms Control Act, No. 60 of 2000 and the Child Justice Act, No. 75 of 2008. The Committee also meets with interest groups, including members of the Community Police Forum (CPF) and the unions. The Committee is divided into groups during the visit and each group is responsible for gathering information on specific areas. The Committee thereafter meets together with the management of the station to discuss these observations and findings in detail.

3. KEY OBSERVATIONS, SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REQUESTED

3.1. MAFIKENG POLICE STATION (26 March 2012)

According to the Acting Station Commander, Brig Moatshe , the following were the key challenges faced by the station:

Rating: For the first semester of 2011/12, Mafikeng police station had a rating of D+ (47.29%).

• The station serves an area of 361 km² and a population of 51,922.
• The station was responsible for policing 30 Schools, 39 Churches, 9 Malls, 24 Farms, 2 Hotels, 29 Bed & Breakfasts and four Taxi ranks.
• The station was an accounting station and had 6 Sectors.
• There were two Correctional Services facilities in the area.
• The area had 60 r egistered second hand goods shops.

3.1.1 KEY OBSERVATIONS

Management: Brigadier, Moatshe was the Cluster Commander and was also acting as the Station Commander. At the time of the visit he had been acting as a Station Commander for only a week. He had completed all the courses relating to the station management learning programme. He had not sign a performance agreement with the Provincial Commissioner as a Station Commander but as a Cluster Commander.

He had 32 years of service in SAPS.

Community Service Centre (CSC): The station was clearly marked and was accessible by wheelchair. The CSC was clean and the Batho Pele principles were clearly displayed at the entrance of the police station and the police officers understand them.

The Occurrence Book was clean and well kept but the information inside was not informative. There was no clear indication of second level inspection.

The Bail Register was in total disarray. Bail conditions were not attached. It was not clear whether people who were supposed to report on a daily or weekly basis did so. Information was difficult to figure out and was written on separate pieces paper.

There was valuable information on the notice board but SAPS members did not understand it. There was information about certain cases that are not supposed to be handled by trainees. The Committee was told that trainees handled those cases in the presence of the senior members.

Firearm Safes: The safe was clean and firearms were neatly packed. Lt Colonel Nojila was managing the safe very well although there was room for improvement.

Designated Police Officer (DPO): The Station had a DPO and he had his own vehicle. He also had access to the DVA register. He took a long time to provide information that was asked by the Committee and when he eventually did the information was inconsistent. This resulted in the Committee not able to obtain information on applications for firearm licences.

The office had three support staff and the Committee was of the view that the office was over staffed.

Discipline: There was a high rate of absenteeism at the station. This was associated with alcohol abuse by SAPS members. The months that reflected the highest absenteeism were June and December.

Members were also abusing sick leave.

Training: The station had a field training officer who had 17 years experience and was a Warrant Officer. There were 17 student constables at the station and the Station Commander was satisfied with their level and capacity. 49 members had been assessed in firearm proficiency. Those who fail were re-assessed.

The flying squad mentioned that they needed more training as they had last attended training in March 2011.

Community Police Forum (CPF): There is a good relationship between the CPF and the station. The CPF Chairperson was strong and knew issues very well. He was also the Cluster CPF Chairperson.

The meetings were held on a monthly basis. The last AGM was held in July 2010. The CPF operated with a budget of R10 000 from the MEC’s office.

The community complained to the CPF about a lack of feedback from detectives. He mentioned that there were lack of resources in the station, especially, in the specialized units and that needed to be urgently addressed. The CPF Chairperson also mentioned that the relationship with detectives should be improved as well as the funding of the CPF.

The CPF Chairperson also mentioned that the CPF members were disrespected by the by the community because they were perceived as being biased to the police. He went on to say that the CPF was concerned by the loss of 59 dockets at the station. There were bad apples within the police that needed to be identified and removed. The CPF was readily available to assist in managing crime.

Unions: The Station Commander said that there was a good relationship between the station and the two unions – Sapu and Popcru. This was also confirmed by the Union representatives that were interviewed by the Committee.

Vehicles: There were 47 vehicles at the station and it was confirmed that that number was not enough. The RAG was not up to date and the officer in charge of the vehicles was not sure how many more vehicles were needed. There was a need for 4X4 bakkies. Three vehicles were inspected and two had broken reverse lights. The licence disks were up to date. Forms indicating the driver of a fairly new Nissan bakkie were not completed. Officers did not know who were driving some of the vehicles.

A high speed GTI that was inspected did not have an itinerary. It had completed 174 000 kilometres but when its details were punched into the AVL system the report did not come up.

There were 158 officers with driver’s licences and 12 did not have authority to drive state’s vehicles (the Committee was not provided with proof of this.)

Detectives: There were 36 detectives at the station and five more were required. The request was sent to the Province. The detectives’ offices were located in different location that was 3-4 kilometres from the station.

A boardroom was used as an interview or meeting room by the detectives. There was no facility to secure identification of suspects by witnesses, the station use the one in Mmabatho Police Station which was five kilometres away. The average years of experience of detectives at the station was 5-30 years and the average age was 44 years. The youngest was 30 years old and the eldest was 54 years.

34 detectives had completed the full detective training course. The Branch Commander mentioned that she was not happy with the level of detectives’ experience and said that detectives needed more training as criminals were using more sophisticated methods to commit crime.

The unit had 17 vehicles and need three more. One was in the garage and had done 250 000 kilometres. Three vehicles were going to be boarded but the Branch Commander had not applied for their replacement.

The detectives were working on 4 201 dockets. The average number of dockets assigned to each detective was 150-350. The smallest caseload was 22 and the highest was 354. The average detection rate for the previous financial year was 5.22%. The average detection rate per crime category was: rape 45.28%, murder 93.06%, property crime 13.53% and assault GBH was 78.48%. The average disposal rate was 88.82%. The average conviction rate per crime category was: rape 7.94%, murder 6.38%, property crime 6.18% and assault GBH 22.98%. The percentage of dockets that were older than one year was: rape 17%, murder 21%, property crime 64%. The number of cases in the past financial year that have been closed undetected was 4 351.

The station did experience problems with regard to incorrectly formulated charges and this was immediately attended to by assisting the involved officers. This was also the case with poor statement taking but the problems experienced in this instance were far less than incorrectly formulated charges.

The unit mentioned that only ten dockets had gone missing in the past three years. It eventually transpired that the number was 59 and only one officer was disciplined for the missing dockets and there were no consequences for others.

There was no strong room but there was a big safe. There were no burglar bars in detectives’ offices. The only office that had burglar bars was the Branch Commander’s. The Committee was very concerned about the fact that although the detectives’ offices were on the second floor of the building, they could be easily accessed from the outside through the windows.

The docket register was not inspected.

It was mentioned that the e-docket system was almost fully rolled out. When inspecting detectives’ offices the Committee discovered the following:

Office No.1 – The detective was working on 96 dockets and had lost the key for the filing cabinet. The Branch Commander did not have a duplicate key.

Office No. 2 – There was no filing cabinet, no burglar bars on the door and windows. The office was occupied by a Group Commander who had no cases allocated to him. Four detectives were working under him and he was responsible for allocating cases to them.

Office No. 3 – This was also a Group Commander’s office. He mentioned that he phoned complainants for the progress on their cases. The office had filing cabinets but they were unused. There were no burglar bars.

Office No. 4 – There were filing cabinets but dockets were not properly filed and personal stuff was found inside the cabinet.

The detectives received two training opportunities per year and two detectives were sent per session. The Committee was concerned by the fact that only Group Commanders had specialised training in commercial crimes, organised crime and serious crime investigations.

Seven detectives had been disciplined for taking long in working on dockets. The province had intervened and assisted with distribution register after it took note of the cases that took long to be finalized.

The province mentioned that police stations did not automatically receive a vehicle when one had been boarded, they had to apply for it. Mafikeng had been prioritized to receive more vehicles but it was not sure when they would be delivered.

Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit: The station does not have a FCS unit. There was a DVA register and the last entry was on 22 March 2012. There were regulations, national instructions and station orders. The station orders were too long. There was no list of organisations and services in the file but it was on the notice board. There was a copy of the Act inside the vehicles but the national instructions say the list of organisations should in the vehicles.

There was a copy of the Child Justice Act, regulations, and national instructions. There was a beautiful graph of the CJA but was not known by members. This was a concern to the Committee as the chart was clear and a shorten version of the Act.

Members at the CSC did not understand the content of the DVA and its national instructions. The register is not completed correctly except by Warrant Officer Kelehe. The ICD was not assisting the station in this area.

Cells: The station had seven holding cells. All of them were in operation at the time of the visit. Each cell is designed to occupy 15 people. On the day of the visit the cells were overcrowded, there were 98 people, 17 were in court and two were in hospital.

Cell inspections were not done hourly as it is required. Shoe strings, plastic bags, tracksuit strings, medication and a lot of contraband was found in the cells. One detainee, Mr Ernest Mashoba had been in the cells for two years and nine months. One detainee had been detained for seven days without being charged and was only charged on the day of the visit. Another detainee had been in the cells for 17 months and detective Mogorosi did not want to give him his ID book so that he could apply for bail. There was an eighteen year old who had been in the cell for one year and three weeks. On calculation the Committee discovered that he was detained when he was younger than seventeen years and the reason given was that he was detained for mental observation.

Cells were not properly maintained. Water drinking points inside some of the cells were leaking. A toilet was not working in one of the cells and the mattress had lice.

Archives: The archives were in the same building that housed the detectives unit. They were clean and neatly packed. The docket that was asked for was easily found. No dockets have been lost in the archives. The only problem was that the room was very full and it would not be long before they ran out of space.

SAPS 13 Store: The SAPS 13 Store was clean but items were not packed according to evidence numbers. There was no proper filing system. Drugs that were found in the store were there since November 2011. The Committee was concerned about this as drugs are supposed to be sent to forensics laboratories within 48 hours. The last entry in the register was on 25 March 2012.

Evidence was destroyed on a weekly basis and the last auction was held in February 2012.

The Committee was informed that a large amount of money was stolen from the store but nobody knew the exact amount. There was no forced entry the person used the safe keys. There was a break in at the store and 225 boxes of cigarettes were stolen and the case was still under investigation.

The Committee was told that bulky items were kept in the Rooigrond store but the evidence that was asked for could not be found although it was a small item. The excuse given was that it might be at Rooigrond. The Committee could not understand why some items were sent to Rooigrond while there was still space available at the SAP 13 store at the station.

Another evidence (dagga) could not be found and the Committee was told that it had been destroyed but there was no record indicating that.

The Rooigrond store was divided into two sections. One section was used by Mmabatho police station and the other one by Mafikeng. Copper wire was not tagged although there were new tags that lay around. There was no packing order, items that stored were mixed with those that were going to be destroyed. There was a lot of liquor that was not properly tagged. A lot of dagga that had been in the store since 2010 was found. The store rat infested. A parcel from the forensic laboratory was in the store and nobody knew the contents of the package.

SAP 13 vehicles – no one had a key for the office that had information on the vehicles. A commander from Mmabatho left an almost new combi in the premises without reporting to anybody.

Old uniforms were dumped in boxes that were not sealed. The Committee was told that the uniform had been standing there since the previous week as they were waiting for a truck to take them to Pretoria where they would be destroyed.

Specialised Units

K9: The unit was headed by Captain Molatedi. He mentioned that there were four types of dogs in the unit. There were five dogs for narcotics, five dogs for explosives, one tracker dog and one for patrol. One more tracker dog was needed. There were 14 operational members in the unit. 12 had been fully trained and two still need to be trained.

The unit does displays at schools with the assistance of other stations.

Tswana Territorial Authority (TTA)

The unit houses the office of the Head of Inspectorate and the Cluster Commander. The offices were clean inside but very dirty on the outside. Most buildings were dilapidated and not used. The swimming pool was very dirty and also not used.

The unit was more of a dumping site, grass was not cut for a long time. It was 15 metres away from the finance office. The Head of Inspectorate said that he was a junior, therefore, not responsible for the implementation of issues he had reported to his seniors.

The Committee was very concerned when he received a call instructing him not to reveal too much information to the Committee. Management never visited the unit. One officer said that the moral was very low due to the filth that was surrounding them.

The Committee was told that four officers were supposed to look after the property but was not sure if this information was correct as the property was in a shocking condition. The Committee questioned the use of inspectorate if their recommendations were not implemented. Something needed to be done urgently.

Sector policing: The area had six sectors and they were all functional. The police station was an accounting station.

3.1.2. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REQUESTED

The following additional information was requested during the visit from the provincial management:

• The Provincial Head of Detectives mentioned that the Province would look at the issue of providing the station with more detectives within six months. A report on this would be provided to the Committee.
• A full report on the investigation regarding the money and the boxes of cigarettes that were stolen at the SAP 13 store.

3.1.3. SPECIFIC FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The following are the key positive findings of the Committee:

· There is a positive relationship between the CPF and the station.

· The archives were well arranged and managed.

The following members were commended by the Committee for doing good work:

• Warrant Officer Kelehe for completing the DVA register properly.
• Ms Selina Ditlhake, registration and archives and Warrant Officer Moinda whom she reported to.

The following are the key recommendations of the Committee:

The Station Commander should ensure that:

• A filing system that would reflect whether an item is in the SAP 13 store at the station or in Rooigrond should be created.

The Provincial Office should ensure that:

• The filth at the TTA unit was urgently addressed.
• The Provincial Commissioner should find out why the provincial managers who were there before her allowed the station to be in such a state. What did they do to address the situation? She will provide the Committee with the report on this.
• There is a need for skills evaluation audit. This will help with the placement of police officers to where they will be productive. Alternatively, more members will have to be transferred from this station to other stations so they do not form a resilience to turn around strategy to redeem the station from quagmire it is in.
• The Provincial Commissioner should decide whether she will permanently appoint the current acting station commander. The identified candidate should be an experienced, skilled and qualified person. The person should have experience for dealing with a malfunctioning police station like Mafikeng.
• The Provincial Commissioner should investigate fully all issues identified by the Committee: lost dockets and steps taken against those involved; granting of bail for Schedule 1 offences; K9 building that was not finalised and other issues raised.
• Why overspending on overtime by the station with surplus personnel and low detection rate. The Provincial Commissioner must explain.
• Full report on the turn-around strategy for the station and the Provincial Commissioner must submit such report with all the issues raised above on the 5 ^th of April 2012 to the Committee.

It is recommended that the National Commissioner should ensure that:

· The National Office must also report to the Committee their involvement in ensuring that challenges at Mafikeng are addressed.

3.2. ITSOSENG POLICE STATION (27 MARCH 2012)

The Station Commander, Lt. Colonel Mashaba noted the following:

Rating: For the first semester of 2011/12, Itsoseng police station had a rating of 66.06% and Grade C+

· The station served an area of 355 square kilometers and a population of 68,413.

· The actual number of personnel at the station was 88 and the RAG 80.

· The SCM post had been vacant since December 2011.

· There were 61 reservists.

· The station was an accounting station.

· The area had three sectors and were all fully operational.

· There were 36 schools in the area .

· Liquor Licensed premises were 9 and other liquor premises (on consumption) were 51.

· There were two taxi ranks.

3.2.1. KEY OBSERVATIONS

Management: The Station Commander had signed the performance agreement with the Provincial Commissioner as well as all members of the station. The station did not experience problems with regard to poor statement taking except in cases where they are taken by the reservists.

Full management meetings took place on a monthly basis as well as meetings with other members. The Station Commander met with detectives twice a month.

The reaction time was fifteen minutes. The station did not have a satellite station. The station did not have sufficient offices and has been on the list of police stations to be build since 1994. The station had a private security contract that cost R17 924.10 per month.

Community Service Centre : The station was clearly marked and was accessible by wheel chair. It was close to two taxi ranks. Notice boards had valuable information but were inside offices, therefore, needed to be displayed outside offices so that the public could have access to the information.

The OB book was checked every day – first and second level inspections. An exercise book was used as a bail register. No senior officer inspected it. No bail conditions were attached. This needed to be corrected and the Province should come with a better strategy. Admission of guilt – detectives were granting bail for serious crimes.

Firearms safe: The firearms-safe was in a bad state and was not properly managed. Reservists were booking firearms in and out and were not supervised by seniors. There was no control of the key to the safe everybody had access to it. This was a serious problem and commanders needed to take full control of the firearms’ safe keys.

The Committee was told that one firearm was issued out to one of the detectives but it was not recorded. The detective was called to return it, which he then did.

Discipline: There was a general problem with absenteeism at the station. Most reported absenteeism was during month-end and weekends. There was abuse of sick leave, one member who was always drunk was promoted and the Committee was very concerned about this as it meant that non-performance was rewarded.

There were five complaints that were received from the public about police. Four were dealt with internally and a Captain received a verbal warning. One case was referred to the ICD.

There were 26 criminal cases that involved police. Six were for reckless driving and two for assault GBH. The Committee was very concerned that ICD said there was no need for it to investigate those cases. There were 20 outstanding cases of misconduct.

Training: 53 members had been trained on DVA and 16 on Child Justice Act. 28 members receive firearm competency certificates.

When student constables arrived at the station they arrive with their own bullet proof vests but no firearms. The station needed 18 more constables.

Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit: The station did not have a Victim Support Centre and victims were sent to Litchtenburg police station. The DVA register was excellently recorded and properly completed.

The last date of entry in the register was 26 March 2012.

Vehicles: There was a shortage of vehicles at the station. The RAG was 19 and actual was 17 and 8 more were needed, preferably 4X4’s. The vehicles were not suitable for the terrain of the station area.

Three vehicles that were inspected were well kept. Two did not have a list of organisations. AVL system was not functioning, therefore, vehicles could not be located.

Unions: Both POPCRU and SAPU mentioned that the relationship with the station was good.

Community Policing Forum: The CPF had a good relationship with the management of the station. The Station Commander actively supported it. Meetings were held once a month and they were well attended. The last AGM was held in 2011.

Community complained about lack of feedback from the station on their cases. They also complained that the response time was too long.

The CPF raised the following issues with the Committee:

• The condition of the station was bad in relation to the building – office walls had holes.
• The road leading to the police station was in a bad state.
• The station had been in the priority list since 1994 but so far nothing had been done.
• The station management should be given permission to build the station because DPW had failed the community.
• CPF projects were not well funded as the only operational funds were received from the MEC’s office. The amount received was R9000 and was R5000 the previous year.

SAPS 13 Store:

• Other exhibits

The station used two park homes as SAP 13 store. It was reported that there had been no incidents of theft in the store. All the exhibits were properly labelled except for liquor. The reason given was that the station had run out of tags. Exhibit that was asked for was easily found by the store clerk, Ms Mokhele.

There was dagga that had been in the store from December 2011. The last auction was in September 2011. Exhibits are being destroyed once a month. Liquor was last destroyed at the end of February 2011. The last entry on the SAP 13 register was 26 March 2012.

Rape kits and murder exhibits were found in the store. These were unopened and the reason given was that they were removed from CSC and Captain Moabe was the one who was supposed to give instructions for them to be opened.

The Committee felt that the park homes were not ideal to keep exhibits. SAPS members went in and out of the store although they did not work there.

• Firearms

Firearms were in new evidence bags and were neatly packed.

Archives: The archives were also well run although a park home was used for keeping the dockets. There was rodent infestation and the archives had holes in the wall. The province needed to urgently address the issue. A computerized filing system was used and there was no manual recording of documents.

A docket that was asked for was easily found.

Relationship with other Criminal Justice System role-players: The Committee was told that prosecutors unnecessarily questioned information on the dockets. For post mortem results – doctors take too long to complete the J88. Regional court comes only once a month for one week.

Cells: The station did not have cells and suspects were sent to Ottoshoop that is situated 90 kms from the station, Litchtenburg – about 26-37 kms and Mooifontein – 60 kms.

Detectives: The detectives’ offices were located in a different location that was 1.7 kms from the station. The building was in a horrible state and was not conducive to good working conditions. Only the outside toilet was working.

Inside doors did not lock and only one window in the Branch Commander’s office had burglar bar. The offices were clean although the working conditions were not ideal. Filing cabinets were maximally used.

There were 11 detectives at the station and detectives said that seven more were needed. At least two should be females. The average years of experience of the detectives was ten. Five had been trained on the old detective course and five on the new one. One name had been submitted for attending a course during this year.

There were 16 registered informants. The unit had six vehicles. The detectives were working on 1051 dockets. The smallest caseload was 50 and highest was 115. There were 20 court ready dockets.

The average detection rate for the previous year was 70-80%. The average detection rate per crime category was: rape 66.86, murder 23.99, property crime 53.06, assault GBH 91.67.

The average disposal rate was 45.73. The average conviction rate per crime category was: rape 3.86, murder 8.29, property crime 44.08, assault GBH 32.5. It was said that cases of assault GBH were usually withdrawn for mediation.

The conviction rate needed to be improved.

The oldest docket that was still open was for culpable homicide (1994). 510 cases had been closed undetected in the past financial year. No dockets have gone missing in the past three years.

The Committee found a September 2011 report on fingerprints for house breaking that was not sent to the Criminal Record Centre. The detectives were not aware of the Criminal Law Procedures (Forensic) Act.

The following issues were raised by the detectives:

• They needed more training in new and refresher courses.
• They needed to be trained on analysing of documents and computer training.
• Specialised units were prioritized and it would be better if detectives could receive the same attention.
• There were more opportunities of promotions in other areas of SAPS, for example, of 18 recent promotions in the province, only one detective was promoted.
• The working environment was not encouraging. Some computers were not connected to the main frames.
• Detectives who left for other units were not replaced.
• Because of shortage of staff in the unit there were 30 outstanding warrants of arrests.
• There were only two phone lines in the unit and they were sharing a cell phone.
• The unit needed a GPS in order to be able to locate complainants’ addresses.

3.2.2 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REQUESTED

The provincial office was asked to provide the Committee with the following:

• A full report on two members who were allegedly abusing alcohol.
• A full report on why out of 18 promotions, only one member was given to the station.

3.2.3 SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS

The following are the key positive findings of the Committee:

• The DVA register was well kept.
• The station was trying very hard under the circumstances.
• Members knew what was discussed during parade that morning.
• The Committee commended the members of the station for running the station so well under the appalling conditions, more so the detectives unit.

The following members were commended by the Committee for doing good work at the station:

• Captain who managed the CSC.
• CSC officials for good recording of the DVA register.
• Ms Mokhele for the well kept SAP 13 stores.
• Captain Othibeng for well run archives.

The following are the key concerns of the Committee:

• The Committee was very concerned about the state of the building of the station.
• Detectives were granting bail for serious crimes.
• The Committee was very concerned about the fact that the province rejected the detectives’ claims for overtime.

The following are the key recommendations of the Committee:

The Minister

• The Minister should explain to the Committee why the police station was on the list of police stations that were only going to be built in 2015/16 financial year.

Provincial office

· The Provincial Commissioner should investigate why J398 is issued to Schedule 1 offences.

· The report should be submitted as to why a record of fingerprints was not submitted to LCRC.

The station

· The station management must implement the requirements of the National Instructions on the contents of both DVA and Child Justice Act files.

· The station management must improve on entries in Bail Condition register.

· The station must improve on the control of the firearm safe keys.

3.3. STELLA POLICE STATION (28 MARCH 2012)

The Station Commander, Captain Bogatsu highlighted the following:

Rating: For the first semester of 2011/12, Stella police station had a rating of 85.47% and Grade A-

• The station covered an area of 2615 square kilometres and a population of 8 570.
• The station had a total personnel of 43 which consisted of 32 vispol, 5 detectives, 4 support and 2 cleaners.
• The station had five reservist and all of them were active.
• The station was policing an area that had three licenced premises, two bed and breakfasts, 525 farms, one hotel, two taxi ranks, eight churches, and eight schools.

3.3.1 KEY OBSERVATIONS

Management: The Station Commander had signed a performance agreement with the Provincial Commissioner and all members of the station had signed performance agreements. The average reaction time was 45 minutes, this was due to the vastness of the area and the bad condition of roads.

Full management meetings were held on a monthly basis. Meetings with detectives were held on a weekly basis. The policies and procedures were communicated to members during parades.

The station did not have a satellite station. There were no sufficient offices and there were no plans to build a new station nor to renovate it. There was no private security operating at the station.

Community Service Centre: The police station was clearly marked and there was a road sign indication of the station. It was easily accessible to persons with disabilities. The station was clean.

General information was displayed on the walls but some information outdated. Members were required to sign on the OB book that they had read the information on the notice board.

The OB book was checked daily and first and second level inspections were done. Bail Conditions register was not properly kept, a person who was supposed to report at the station twice a week was reporting only once a week.

Admission of guilt/granting of bail – The station said that the decision guiding the amount of bail or admission of guilt fine was the seriousness of the crime. There was no proper guide that was written down. The Committee was told that sometimes a person would be asked how much he had and that money would be accepted and the person would be released because the court process took long. This was not done on schedule 1 offences.

The Committee was concerned that one reservist was working day and night shifts concurrently and felt that reservists were over worked.

Unions: There was a good relationship between management and the unions. Both Popcru and Sapu were represented at the station.

Community Police Forum: The CPF was functional and held its meetings once a month. The relationship between the station and the CPF was good and it was actively supported by the station commander. If there were differences they were quickly resolved by both parties. The meetings were well attended. The last AGM was held in June 2011.

The CPF was funded by the provincial government that provided it with R5000 annually. The CPF chairperson mentioned that they did not have a good relationship with the farmers. The CPF would like to receive a stipend.

Firearms Safe: Constables had access to the safe key and the explanation given was that there were few members at the station, therefore, in other shifts constables had to book firearms in and out.

The Committee was concerned by the fact that a constable who was said to be a Crime Intelligence Officer had booked out a firearm for herself and filled in her particulars.

The Committee felt that there was no proper control of the safe key.

Designated Police Official: The station had an active DPO but he did not have his own vehicle. He had an access to the DVA register. Ten members of the station had been trained in the Firearms Control Act.

The nearest firearms accredited training institution was in Vryburg.

FCS: The station had a Victim Support Centre that was operated by the Department of Social Development. Victims received counselling at the centre. The centre also helped woman with maintenance queries. The Centre had a personnel of three auxillary workers and one cleaner.

There was an “Intake File” that was used for recording people who had come for help on all issues related to domestic violence. The Centre was operating from containers that were donated by Transnet.

The Committee recommended that the Centre should work closely with the station because the last entry on the domestic violence register at the station was on 20 February 2012, whereas at the Centre there was an entry on the day of the visit. They should share information as that would affect the statistics of domestic violence.

The Committee appreciated the work that was done at the Centre.

Vehicles: The AVL system was operational at the station and this was commended by the Committee. The station had a total of ten vehicles. Seven were allocated to Vispol and three to the detectives. The support unit borrows from Vispol when there is a need to use a vehicle.

Four vehicles were inspected. All were in good condition but have high mileage. They all have permits and log books were properly completed. The station management was commended for looking after the vehicles

Sector policing: The area had two sectors. Sector two was mostly dealing with feud amongst family members. The station needed ten more members in order for sectors to be fully functional.

Cells: The station had three cells with a capacity of 45. The cells were clean. All of them were operational. In cell no. 3 shoe strings and ropes were found. Toilet was not flushing at cell no. 3. Cells were not regularly visited. One detainee was assaulted by the police.

There was a detainee who had been in the cells since 23 September 2009. The J7 stated that he should have been detained in Mafikeng police station.

Detectives: The detectives did not have sufficient interview rooms and used Malebogo police station for this purpose. There were five detectives at the station one had not been at work for two years after he was attacked during an operation.

The Branch Commander was not happy with the experience level of detectives at the station. The youngest detective was 27 years old and eldest was 42 years old. Three detectives had completed the introductory course.

There were sufficient vehicles for use by the detectives and the Branch Commander was commended for keeping them clean. At the time of the visit the unit was working on 120 dockets. The highest caseload per detective was 27.

The average detection rate for the previous financial year was 52%. Per crime category it was: rape:100 %. Murder:80%, property crime:34.21%, assault GBH:99.71%.

The average conviction rate was: rape:100%, murder:100%, property crime:100% and assault GBH:20.91%. The Committee was told that courts were mediating on assault GBH and felt that was wrong because it was not common assault. The Committee would take this up with PC on Justice.

The oldest docket in the system that was still open was for 25 April 2007. 59 cases were closed undetected in the past financial year. There were no missing dockets in the past three years.

There were filing cabinets in the detective’s offices. There was one that did not open because its key was lost.

The station could not provide information on average disposal rate.

The Branch Commander did not know how to interpret the crime statistics. The Committee was concerned about this and recommended that he should go for training.

3.3.3 SPECIFIC CONCERNS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The following are the key positive findings of the Committee:

• The station was well kept and managed.

The following are the key concerns of the Committee:

• There was a shortage of office space.

The following are the key recommendations of the Committee:

• The station should be renovated.

3.4 POTCHEFSTROOM POLICE STATION (29 MARCH 2012)

The Acting Station Commander, Colonel Molate noted the following:

Rating: For the first semester of 2011/12, Potchefstroom police station had a rating of 62.06% and Grade C

• The station covered an area of 2108 square kilometres and a population of

72 389.

• The station had a total personnel of 300 which consisted of 175 vispol, 55 detectives, 61 support staff and 9 cleaners.
• The station had 116 reservists and all of them were active.
• The station was policing an area that had 199 liquor licensed premises, 104 on consumption liquor premises, one taxi rank, six hotels, 95 Bed and Breakfasts, six camping sites, four malls, 35 schools and one correctional centre, a university and two colleges.

3.4.1 KEY OBSERVATIONS

Management: The Station was a Brigadier station. The station had an Acting Station Commander because the one who was in that position was an Acting Cluster Commander. She had completed the station management learning programme and would like to do the executive learning programme. Full management meetings, meetings with detectives and with other members took place on monthly basis.

Policies and procedures were communicated during parade and place on notice boards. The station had a private security contract but was contracted by the Province. There was shortage of office space.

The station was an accounting station.

Community Service Centre: The police station was clearly marked and there was a road sign indication of the direction to the station. The station was clean and in good condition. General information was displayed on the walls. There was information on absenteeism that was displayed on the notice board. There was a shortened version of the DVA and the CJA.

OB book was in total disarray but first and second level inspections were done. Relief commanders were not signing the Information Book.

Bail Conditions register was properly kept. There was an index where each member had his or her pages to sign on. The Committee commended the way the register was kept.

Admission of guilt register needed to be properly managed and entries to be transferred to the OB book. Granting of bail needed to be revisited because it was not acceptable that police were granting bails on assault GBH.

The Committee recommended that the area in front of the police station needed to be levelled so that the CSC could be easily accessible by disabled people. The area that was accessible by wheelchair was the car parking.

The CSC was generally well kept and Commander Lieutenant Thebe was commended for that.

Firearm Safe: The firearm register was in total disarray. Constables were booking guns in and out. Firearms that were asked for were not found. There was one that was signed for as if it was booked out although it was sent for repairs. There was a firearm that was booked out to Mr Steyn but there were no details of who had signed it out.

The nearest accredited firearm institution was Denel and it was about 15-20 kms from the station. The nearest shooting range was about 10 kms from the station.

Designated Police Official: The station had a designated police official who had no access to the DVA register. The DPO had a designated vehicle. 115 applications were received for firearm renewals in the previous financial year and it took about 30 days to process them.

On average the station received five new applications per day and it took an hour and a half to process one application. 252 new applications were received in the previous financial year. Ten were rejected, 130 were approved and 112 were still outstanding. It took about four months to process them.

The office had eight people working on firearm applications and the Committee felt that the office was overstaffed and their job descriptions needed to be reviewed.

The DPO was commended for having distributed all firearm licences.

Community Police Forum: The station had a functional CPF. The meetings took place on monthly basis and were well attended. The last AGM was held on 22 March 2012. The CPF was representative of all sections of the community served by the station i.e. Business, local government and women.

The CPF mentioned that most CPF members were from the white community, therefore, there was some difficulty in organising meetings that were inclusive of all community members.

There was a good relationship between the CPF and the station and was actively supported by the station commander. It raised funds for its operations and submitted business plans to the station. The CPF mentioned that it received complaints about the high level of noise in the area.

The CPF mentioned that the quality of police needed to be improved and would like to have an office at the station.

FCS: The station had a big and beautiful Victim Support Centre that was operated by volunteers and professionals who were called in when there was a need. It was also used by the University Social Science Students for practicals. Victims from other stations were accommodated in the centre. The volunteers did not receive a stipend.

There was a DVA register at the station but filling it in needed to be improved. The copies of protection orders were not kept and this needed to be improved. There were incident forms. 142 SAPS members were trained on DVA. There was always a female member on duty.

There was a copy of the DVA and CJA, its regulations, national instructions, station orders and the list of organisations and services. The documents were properly filed.

Unions: SAPU and POPCRU were represented at the station. Popcru said that the relationship with management was good while Sapu said it was average.

Discipline: There was a general problem with absenteeism at the station. The month of June reflected the highest absenteeism rate. This happened during weekends, month-ends and night duty.

A grievance was lodged by a member who was demanding to be paid an acting allowance. There were 23 cases of misconduct that were initiated in the past financial year. The case that was highlighted is the one where a detainee hanged himself with a tie inside the cells but ICD could not find any proof of misconduct – the Committee was very concerned about this, it emphasized that the tie was not supposed to be in the cell and it was evident to everybody that the incident occurred.

Sector policing: The area had three sectors. Sector one was too big and it was decided that it should be divided into eight small blocks in order to be manageable. Each block had a dedicated vehicle. The strategy was working.

Training: There were three field-training officers at the station. Two were sergeants with eleven and nine years experience respectively. One was a constable with ten years experience. All were trained in the field training course.

The station had fourteen student constables. There were 120 operational members who had been trained in the past financial year regarding their fitness levels. In the past financial year, 239 members had received training on domestic violence, 44 had received training on the specialised five day course in handling domestic violence incidents and 39 training on implementation of the child Justice Act and National Instructions.

Vehicles: There was a shortage of vehicles at the station but the station could not provide information as to how many vehicles should be allocated to station according to the RAG. 102 members either did not have drivers’ licenses or authority to drive state vehicles. 128 members had authority to drive state vehicles.

Cells: The station had eight cells and all were in operation at the time of the visit. They were generally in good condition. The cells are designed to hold 45 people but here were 46 detainees and 20 were illegal immigrants.

In one of the cells the shower was leaking. Mr Isaac Kgetsi had been in the cells since 10 February 2008. The J7 did not correspond with the detainees in the cells. The cells were not overcrowded.

There had been deaths in the cells in the past financial year and one escape incident where one person was involved and was recaptured. This incident happened on the way court and station commander mentioned that it was a case of negligence.

SAPS 13 Stores:

• Firearms

The Committee was given different numbers of the total firearms that were in the store. The station said they were 65 and later said they were 67 but the Committee after counting the firearms found out that there were 115 firearms that were in the store.

• Other exhibits

No incidents of theft had occurred in the store in the previous financial year. The station provided an inventory or register for general exhibits. The last date of entry in the register was 29 March 2012. All exhibits were labelled.

There was a lot of dagga in the store. An officer’s safe was found in the store and the Committee requested a full report on that.

Archives: The archives were too full and were in total disarray. There was an office that was full of furniture and the Committee was of the view that it could be used for archives.

Detectives: There were 46 detectives at the station. The station did not have sufficient detectives and needed ten more. The average years’ of experience was 12 and average age was 35. The youngest detective was 27 years old and the eldest was 58 years old.

All detectives had completed the two week detective course. 21 detectives have the full detective training course and one was busy attending the course. Four detectives have attended murder and robbery course, seven fraud workshop, two project management and three sexual offences. Detectives were allowed to attend training courses on quarterly basis. Detectives did not know the Criminal Procedure Amendment Act.

The ratio of vehicles allocated was 2:1. Currently there was no shortage of vehicles at the unit although two more had been requested.

The detectives were working on 1596 dockets. The average number of cases assigned to each detective was 50-60. The smallest caseload per detective was 35 and the highest 96.

The average detection rate for the previous financial year was 35%. The average detection rate per crime category was: Rape 78.79%, Murder 71.43%, Property Crime 12% and Assault GBH 80.98%.

The average disposal rate was 92.86%. The average conviction rate per category was: Rape 82.05%, Murder 91.67%, Property Crime 96.38% and Assault GBH 71.38%.

The oldest docket that was still open was of a theft of a motor vehicle for 2008. 3770 cases have been closed undetected in the past financial year. No dockets have gone missing in the past three years.

The station did a docket audit on monthly basis.

Some of the detectives’ offices were not locked and did not have keys. The station had a court register, safes, strong room, burglar proofing and a docket register. There wereno lock up facilities.

The Committee also checked out the Supply Chain Management store. The store did not have an inventory register. Over 500 rape kits were found at the store.

3.4.3 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REQUESTED

• The ICD was requested to provide a full report on the case of a detainee who had hanged himself inside a cell. The report indicated very poor investigation.

3.4.4 SPECIFIC CONCERNS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The following are positive findings of the Committee:

· The SAPS 13 stores were neatly packed and well organised.

The following are the key concerns of the Committee:

• The Committee was very concerned about the station’s inaccurate record of the number of firearms at the station.
• The absence of the register at the stores.

3.5. ORKNEY POLICE STATION (30 MARCH 2012)

(UNANNOUNCED VISIT)

3.5.1 KEY OBSERVATIONS

The Station Commander, Lieutenant Colonel M J Selehelo, mentioned the following:

• The station had received a “C” ranking for the past three years.
• The station had a staff complement of 91 and 30 reservists.
• The area had eleven mines.
• There was a high rate of house breakings after mines closed down leaving the residential area empty.
• There were many cases of copper theft.
• There were also many cases of contact crimes and the station had joined forces with other departments to fight these crimes.
• There was a shortage of staff at the station.
• The area had a lot of game farms.
• The station did not have a satellite station but had a contact point.
• The area had 94 farms including small holdings.
• There were two sectors.

Management: The Station Commander had 24 years of service with SAPS. He was

appointed as Station Commander at the station on 01 December 2010. Management meetings are held monthly on the first Monday of each month. He is currently busy with the Station Management Learning Program and has completed five modules of the course. He had completed the Middle Management Learning Program in October 2008. He has not attended the Executive Learning Program yet.

He had not signed a performance agreement with the Provincial Commissioner.

Community Service Centre: The station was clearly marked and was accessible by wheelchair. There was a board showing the direction to the station. The CSC was clean and in good condition. General information was displayed on the walls.

Occurrence Book – There was first and second level inspection. Some entries were not signed by the Station Commander.

Bail register – Bails were issued by a member who was on standby. The station took a decision to stop the CSC from performing this function due to that some officers were issuing bails for serious crimes like assault GBH. The Committee was told that drunk driving bail was not less than R500.

The Committee recommended that the Province provide police stations with instructions on how much should be charged for specific crimes and that police bail only be granted for those crimes that they are allowed to.

Bail conditions – The station did not record the reasons if people did not come to sign as per their bail conditions.

Information book – The book was not properly signed. There was no clear indication as to who signed for what. There were no dates entered only file numbers. The Committee recommended that the situation be improved.

FCS: The station had a Victim Empowerment Centre. The centre was small and did not have beds. Victims were immediately sent to hospital after consultation. It was operated by volunteers.

The station had a Domestic Violence register but it was not properly kept. It had the list of organisations which offer counselling. There was a copy of the DVA, national instructions and station orders. Station orders were too long.

There was a copy of the Child Justice Act but no national instructions and station orders. There was a list containing the contact details of the designated probation officers. The CJA file was divided into chapters and the Committee commended the way the file was kept.

Unions: Popcru and Sapu were represented at the station. Popcru said the relationship with management was average and Sapu said it was good. Both unions complained about the shortage of staff and cars at the station.

CPF: The station had a functional CPF and its chairperson was Mr Emmanuel Lukhele. The meetings were held on monthly basis and were well attended. The CPF had a good relationship with the station.

The CPF operated with R15 000 that was provided by the provincial office. The CPF mentioned that it would like to have its own vehicle. It complained that the station sometimes informed them of the meetings a day before the meetings took place. The CPF used to receive complaints from the community about police members before the current station commander took over.

Firearms: Rape kits and flags were found in the firearm safe. Expired blood kits were also found in the safe. A firearm that belonged to Potchefstroom police station was in the safe. All registered firearms were found in the safe.

DPO: The station had a designated police officer. All the firearm licences were distributed except for two who’s applicants were untraceable.

Training: 25 members had received training on Domestic Violence Act. The last group had been sent nearly two years back. All members had passed firearm competency test.

Discipline: There was a case of an officer who charged people for applying for firearm licences. Another officer was charged because his fire proof vest was burnt by his wife.

Vehicles: There was a shortage of vehicles at the station. According to the RAG 17 vehicles were allocated to the station and the actual number was 18 but four more vehicles were needed.

Five members were not in possession of a driver’s licence. All the members who had drivers’ licences had authority to drive state vehicles. Only one member was waiting for state authorisation.

All vehicles inspected were neat and their log and service books were up to date. One of them did not have fire extinguisher, jack and spare wheel. The spare wheel of the other vehicle was worn-out.

Thursdays and Fridays were car inspection days.

Detectives: The detectives’ offices were located 400 metres away from the station. The station had 15 detectives and five more were needed. There were two group commanders. The average years of experience of the detectives was six years. The youngest detective was 24 years old and the eldest was 51 years old.

Three detectives have completed the three months full detective course. One detective had completed the additional specialised detective training course – murder and robbery. The detectives mentioned that they do not really have opportunities to attend courses but rather workshops.

Seven vehicles were allocated to the unit. The ratio was 2:1. One vehicle was at the garage and one was shot at. The unit needed two more vehicles.

The detectives were working on 752 cases. The average number of cases assigned to each detective was 40-50. The smallest caseload per detective was 20 and highest was 100. Most cases were of housebreaking. The Committee felt that the statistics at the station needed to be investigated.

The detectives’ offices were clean and cabinets were locking. There was no electricity at the time of the visit. No dockets have gone missing in the past three years.

Cells: The station had six holding cells. Two cells were in operation at the time of the visit. Lights outside the cells had not been working for a month. An electrician appeared when the Committee was at the station. Women were detained at Stilfontein police station.

The cells are designed to hold 72 people and 48 people occupied the cells on the date of the visit. The longest serving detainee had been there for four months. Sheets were found inside the cells. Blankets were clean.

Hourly visits were conducted and the Committee commended the Warrant Officer and the two Constables who were on duty in the cells.

SAPS 13 Stores:

• Firearms

There was a big trunk that was full of firearms. The Committee was concerned about the fact that the officer looking after the stores did not mention it and the Committee discovered this on its own. The contents of the trunk were not reflected in the SAPS 13 register.

• Other exhibits

It was also in a bad condition. There was a firearm that was marked for destroy but was not destroyed even though destroying took place a week prior the visit. Detainees’ property was found in the store. Evidence was not tagged.

Archives: It was in bad condition. Dockets asked for could not be found .

4. GENERAL CONCERNS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The following are the overarching general positive findings of the Committee:

• All the Station Commanders that the Committee interacted with had brought positive changes to their police stations and were experienced in policing.
• All police stations visited had functional CPF’s.
• All stations had a board of the Batho Pele principles at the entrances.
• All the stations had CJA and DVA beautiful charts that were shortened versions of the Acts.
• The Provincial Commissioner and her management accompanied the Committee on all the oversight visits. This was highly appreciated by the Committee.

The Committee, during its oversight visit, came into contact with a number of exceptional members of the SAPS, who were performing their functions beyond the call of duty.

Mafikeng: The police station was in the verge of collapsing.

Itsoseng: This is a police station that is well kept but needs support from the National Office.

Stella: The police station is well kept and properly managed.

Potchefstroom: This is a police station with challenges that can be solved.

Orkney: This is a police station with few challenges that could easily be addressed, The station is properly managed.

5. OUTSTANDING MATTERS

The province provided the Committee with its own report of the visit on 06 April 2012. (The report is attached).

Report to be considered .

Appendix 1: Acronyms and Terms used in the Report

Acronyms:

AFIS- Automated Fingerprint Identification System

AVL- Automated Vehicle Location system

CPF- Community Police Forum

CSC- Community Service Centre

FCS- Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit

SAPS- South African Police Service

Terms used:

Designated Police Official- This refers to the person responsible at station level for dealing with licencing and other requirements in terms of the Firearm Control Act.

SAPS 13 Store- This refers to the stores and safes that hold exhibits including firearm exhibits.

Firearm Safe- This refers to the safe(s) that hold State (official firearms) for use by SAPS members