Maitland residents demand police accountability amid rising crime

WESTERN Cape police commissioner Thembisile Patekile has been given 14 days to respond to a memorandum of demands handed over by the Maitland Ratepayers and Residents Association and ward councillor, demanding that SAPS management and stagnant staff at the station be removed as crime increases.

- GENEVIEVE SERRA

Last night the residents and councillor Cheslyn Steenberg marched to the Maitland police station armed with placards and their memorandum.

Just last month, they went public with their complaints in the Cape Argus, highlighting how staff locked the gates of the station at night and there was a lack of available vans and responses to complaints.

Their complaints have since been escalated to Patekile’s office and that of Police Oversight and Community MEC, Anroux Marias.

Steenberg handed over the memorandum to a representative of Patekile’s office, in which he warned of legal action if there was no response.