Umhlanga police station upgrades to enhance community safety

IOL News

a day ago

Minister of Public Works Dean Macpherson (right) and eThekwini Ward 35 Councillor Bradley Singh discuss possible upgrades to the Umhlanga police station.
Image: Supplied
Umhlanga's rapid growth and development needed a police station to meet its demands, said ratepayers when they met with the Minister of Public Works, Dean Macpherson, in Durban on Monday.
On Monday, while attending the KwaZulu-Natal Public Works and Infrastructure's Construction Imbizo in Durban, Macpherson complied with eThekwini Ward 35 Councillor Bradley Singh's request to inspect the Umhlanga police station.
Singh said the visit resulted in a commitment to address long-standing infrastructure issues at the police station, which was used by the SAPS and Durban metro police.
Key interventions agreed upon include: Immediate installation of a perimeter fence to enhance security.
Repairs to the main gate to ensure controlled access.
Restoration of the generator to full operational capacity.
'The Minister has committed to initiating the process of constructing a permanent building for the Umhlanga Police Station, replacing the current prefabricated structure. This marks a significant step toward establishing a fully functional and dignified facility for both officers and the community,' he said.
Singh said that after years of advocacy by residents, their voices were being heard, with the upgrades expected to improve safety and service delivery in Umhlanga.
'The Department of Public Works and SAPS will collaborate closely to expedite the projects, with timelines to be communicated in due course.'
Singh said the entire facility, including its grounds and offices, are in a shocking condition and fails to comply with basic health and safety regulations.
He added that as a police station serving the Umhlanga community, its current state reflects poorly on the department and undermines public confidence.
Terri MacLarty, chairperson Umhlanga Ratepayers and Residents Association (URRA), who was also in attendance at the site visit, said they were delighted with the progress made.
She said that ratepayers have been in support of making conditions more workable for the metro police who have been stationed at police stations since September 2022 and have worked under challenging conditions.
'We have engaged with the councillor to prevent metro police from relocating to KwaMashu as a result of poor working conditions and given that development in Umhlanga has rendered it no longer a village, but rather a Central Business District,' she said.
MacLarty said it was imperative that the metro policing of by-laws be stepped up and that they needed to have a permanent presence in Umhlanga.
'We are also appealing to eThekwini to increase metro resources to ensure that Umhlanga does not deteriorate, given the lawlessness that is and has crept in. Our thanks to Councillor Bradley Singh for acting swiftly, and we look forward to a temporarily improved and secure station, and ultimately a new structure to service the Umhlanga community, which is long overdue. The metro and SAPS put their lives on the line for us, and they deserve better,' she said.
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