A nationwide audit conducted by the Democratic Alliance (DA) has revealed that more than half of South Africa’s police stations could not be reached by telephone, raising serious concerns about public access to policing services.
The findings were revealed by Ian Cameron, Chairperson of Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Police.
According to Cameron, the audit covered 1,025 police stations across all nine provinces using officially listed contact numbers provided for the South African Police Service (SAPS).
The results showed that 571 police stations failed to answer their telephones, while only 454 stations answered one or both listed contact numbers.
This means that approximately 56% of police stations audited could not be reached by members of the public.
Limpopo recorded the worst performance, with 78 out of 87 police stations reportedly failing to answer their phones. The Free State recorded the second-lowest reachability rate.
The audit further found that several police stations located in high-crime areas were among those that could not be contacted.
The findings mirror concerns previously raised during a DA oversight visit to the 10111 Emergency Communication Centre, where officials reportedly highlighted staff shortages, communication breakdowns, outdated technology and difficulties in contacting police stations.
“A police service that cannot consistently be reached by the public cannot effectively fulfil its mandate,” Cameron said.
The DA has indicated that it will submit the findings to the Minister of Police and the National Commissioner of SAPS and will call for urgent corrective measures to improve public access to police services.
The findings are likely to intensify debate around policing resources, accountability and service delivery as communities continue to battle high levels of crime across the country.
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