COPS USE TRACTOR AS TRANSPORT

DUMAKO – At first they would walk to accident scenes, now they use a tractor to go about their duties. This highlights the plight of police officers stationed at Dumako, outside Hlatikhulu, which is one of the many police posts across the country facing a serious patrol vehicle shortage.

Information gathered from residents was that officers from the police post were recently spotted driving in a tractor while headed for a certain homestead to apprehend a multiple burglaries suspect on Wednesday morning.

The tractor, which had been borrowed from the Ministry of Agriculture depot, which is also located at Dumako, was also used to transport items to be paraded in court as evidence, which were reportedly collected from the suspect’s homestead.

A source close to the matter confirmed that the police officers did approach the Dumako Rural Development Area authorities seeking their permission to use one of their tractors because they desperately needed transport to a certain homestead located around Nkomonye, around the same vicinity, after receiving a tip-off that a wanted suspect had been spotted at the place. Information gathered was that the officers had asked for a vehicle from the nearby Hlatikhulu Police Station, but were told it was still assigned to perform other duties. In the interest of time, the officers are said to have quickly improvised by requesting to use one of the tractors allocated to the local RDA for a timely response.

mercy

The police post has been paralysed by the mechanical faults of their only allocated car, which leaves them at the mercy of superiors at the Hlatikhulu Police Station whenever they need a patrol vehicle. Even at this particular station, the use of vehicles is also prioritised due to an ongoing shortage.

Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati conceded that the police service was facing challenges, which she attributed to government’s obtaining economic crisis. Vilakati said she was aware that there were problems of transport in some police stations, and appealed to members of the public to be patient as the police force was doing all it could to be of assistance to the public.

“It’s not that place alone. We have a serious shortage of vehicles, so we prioritise how we utilise the limited resources that we have. The situation compels us to first release vehicles to places where there is an emergency,” she explained.

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