EMPD officers caught between a rock and a hard place

The shortage of vehicles in the EMPD has become so serious that some officers are said to have resorted to using their hard-earned money to keep their work vehicles on the road.

This publication recently reported that the EMPD precincts in the city do not have sufficient vehicles, and how this hampers the officers’ ability to do their work.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, officers said delays in fixing EMPD vehicles at the different garages have led to a serious shortage of vehicles.
Some officers have, due to the anticipated delays, become reluctant when they needed to send their vehicles in for service, particularly for minor issues.

“This has become a serious concern. Sometimes we have to come up with a plan to avoid the delays. Others end up paying from their own pocket to fix minor issues like changing light bulbs, brakes and other issues of wear and tear.
“Although it’s against council policy, people still do it because if you follow the normal route you will end up stranded without a car for a long period of time. We are now having too many officers travelling in one car.”

The EMPD spokesperson, Kelebogile Thepa, asked that the department be allowed some time to deliberate on the matter at great length, before responding to our list of questions.
Thepa stated that the same questions posed by the Advertiser were also asked by councillors.
“Can we allow for the internal processes to be completed before we make the details public?” she asked.

Also Read: EMPD tip of the week