Leaky toilets, roof mould and no working geysers are just some of the various issues trainees at the Philippi Police Academy have to face.
This was revealed on Friday, when the parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Police conducted a fact-finding oversight visit at the site, Cape {town} Etc reports.
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The academy, which aims to prepare men and women to protect the public, houses 560 trainees. However, the oversight visit raised serious concerns about the standards of training and care.
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On Friday, the walkabout revealed the following:
- Leaky toilets
- Roof mould
- only two kettle urns for the whole block
- Only 20 working computers for more than 500 trainees
- No working geysers
- A lack of chefs
- A lack of cleaning staff
- Break-ins have also been reported
‘I am emotionally drained,’ said ActionSA MP Dereleen James upon hearing that some trainees have not bathed in warm water since arriving at the academy.
‘In our communities, we get excited when we send our kids to better their future, but here it is worse. Since they started [training], some of them have not had access to electricity or hot water. It feels like they are being trained for the army.
‘When I asked the trainee, he said it’s better here than staying at home because they have a meal. Some of these children do not even realise that they are being stripped of their dignity and their right to comfort,’ she added.
‘To think this is what we offer is a sheer disgrace and someone needs to account.’
Daily Maverick reports that more than R114 million has been allocated to the academy since mid-2018. This includes over R100 million for meals and basic training, R8 million for meals for qualified police officers undergoing in-service training and R6 million in profits from the academy’s tuck shop.
However, the academy has not had a financial audit for the past six years. Ian Cameron told eNCA that ‘major concerns’ have been raised regarding large amounts of money that can not be accounted for.
Western Cape head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), Major General Mathipa Makgato said his office has already collected 16 statements as part of an investigation into the state of the academy and its operations.
Among these, it was found that SAPS catering equipment was used at weddings and funerals. In addition, internal auditors are investigating a R110 million per year expenditure since 2018.
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Picture: Frennie Shivambu / Gallo Images
