Law enforcement impeded without all required resources

The community of ward 30 is up in arms over lack of patrol vehicles at the understaffed and under-resourced Thabong Police Station.

So says Patrick Mholo, chairperson of the ward 30 Neighborhood Watch Committee, that represents over 300 members.

He says it is shocking to hear that there are only two patrol vehicles assigned to Customer Service Centre (CSC) for the whole of Thabong.

“When the community or victims of crime, in particular of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), approach the police station, they see scores of vehicles parked outside and marked as Station Commander, Illicit Mining, Logistics, Human Resources, Support Services, Social Crime, Provincial Office, Training College, and so on,” he says.

“When entering the CSC to report a crime, we are told by police members that there are no vehicles.”

Mholo says ordinary officers and detectives sometimes have to use their private cellphones to take photographs of crime scenes and perpetrators, raising concern about evidence integrity.

On 23 May the minister of police, Senzo Mchunu, released crime statistics for the fourth quarter of the 2024-’25 financial year. The report showed that the Thabong Police Station recorded a 9,6% decrease in contact crime. The report further shows that the Free State contributed only a national increase of 6,4%.

“But the real experiences of victims of crimes like GBVF tell a different story. There is nothing to celebrate about these statistics.”

He says the community demands that the national minister or MEC of Police capacitate the Thabong CSC to assist victims of crime.

For more information, support or input, contact Malefa Maritshe, secretary of the Ward 30 Neighborhood Watch, on 068 129 3996, or email malefamaritshe@gmail.com; or Mholo on 078 323 3658 or email mamosa906@gmail.com.