Dealings with Roodepoort police have left an elderly man bemoaning the state of an institution he holds in the highest regard.
Having served for 22 years at Fairland Police Station, Jan van der Watt is well-versed in the inner workings of a police station. Encounters with officers on August 15 and 16 left the 70-year-old feeling as though dedication to the service had dropped to unacceptable standards. In his dealings with Roodepoort police, Van der Watt claims not to have mentioned his years of service, believing that to be spilled milk under a rusting bridge.
Van der Watt needed to utilise the station’s services after losing his firearm licence card. After reapplying last October, disputes over the sending of SMS alerts, needing to go to Florida Police Station because Roodepoort was out of ink, load-shedding delays and even a protest are all pitstops to Van der Watt’s two-day eye-opener at the Raath Street building.
Ready to collect his new firearm licence, Van de Watt went to the station on August 15 and found six members of the public waiting to be served in the Firearms Liquor and Second-Hand Goods (Flash) office. He chose not to wait but returned just before 15:00 that afternoon. Now alone in the queue, the pensioner was told by the two officers manning the desk that he could not be served as the cashier’s office was closed. Begrudgingly accepting this, he asked to complete what paperwork he could but was told it could only be finalised the next day at best.
Van der Watt returned at 08:00 the following day and found the door to the Flash office closed. He could hear voices behind the door and upon opening the door, was greeted with the question ‘Why didn’t you knock?’. Returning the question, he asked why the door was closed and the officers inside responded that they were cold. Leaving it at that, Van der Watt, completed his paperwork.
Needing to wash his fingers after taking fingerprints, the man was required to use the tap in the rear courtyard as the bathrooms of the station had no running water or soap. Now having walked the width of the large station, Van der Watt requested photocopies of his paperwork but this was declined, the officers stating that the printer was not working. The pensioner was directed to the café across the street from the station, where he could make copies.
Once this walk was completed, Van der Watt needed to pay for his transaction. The Roodepoort Police Station is a large five-level building and the cashier’s office is located on the very top floor. The station has two elevators but on that day in mid-August, those elevators were not functioning. Van der Watt then walked the four flights of stairs to the top.
A misunderstanding regarding the amounts payable had him walk down two flights before being sent back. His ordeal ended with police unable to give him the correct amount of change but Van der Watt cared not for the extra coins and walked back down the stairs and made his way home.
The retired detective, who left the police in 1994 due to health reasons, claims he has no personal animosity towards the officers but feels the levels of customer service could be improved.
“I love the police but I think there is a lack of training on how to deal with the public. The attitudes were rude and aggressive and I felt as if I was being an inconvenience. They made it as if they were doing me a favour,” said Van der Watt.
The pensioner’s experience was relayed to station management and the provincial office.
“I would advise the complainant to register a formal complaint against the police if they feel that they were not treated properly. As for the cashier being on the top floor, the office is properly placed as per the security assessment done,” stated provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Brenda Muridili.
The provincial spokesperson stated additional avenues for the public to lay complaints against police officers. For a toll-free number, the public can call 0800 333 177 or use the Gauteng Standby number, 082 442 2000. Police service complaints can also be lodged via WhatsApp on 082 759 2590, via the MySAPS app, or by email at GP.ServiceComplaints@saps.gov.za.
