North West Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Public Works and Roads, Community Safety and Transport Management led by Hon Mmoloki Cwaile conducted an oversight visit at Nietvirdiend Police Station

On Tuesday, 06 February 2024, the North West Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Public Works and Roads, Community Safety and Transport Management led by Hon Mmoloki Cwaile conducted an oversight visit at Nietvirdiend Police Station as part of the oversight week programme that is currently taking place from the 06 – 09 February 2024.

The program is aimed at strengthening oversight and public participation and to promote accountability and transparency in government.

Nietvierdiend Police Station is a very old police station that was initially built as a clinic for a school that is now currently a police station. It is situated about 62km from the town of Zeerust on the R49 route to Gaborone and services a population of about 9084 from surrounding villages named Masebudule, Supingstad and Lekgopung village. The police station also services 2 border posts namely Kopfontein and Derdepoort, as well as Madikwe Game Reserve.

Amongst some of the challenges found at the station was the lack of transportation, network non-connectivity and shortage of personnel at the station, poor building infrastructure and cells.

The Station Commander of the police station, Cpt Mompati MolatIhegi mentioned that there is a high number of illegal foreigners more involved in Rhino Poaching and stealing copper mainly from Mozambique whilst there is a challenge of transportation that impacts on the response time to assist crimes that mainly occur at Madikwe Game Reserve.

The Chairperson of the committee noted all challenges raised and cautioned the police station to amongst others to keep a close eye on tuckshops owned by locals and foreigners in the area who are selling illegal products that have resulted in child deaths and severe health conditions according to recent media reports.

“The police station should try to establish a relationship with farm owners and workers to also establish the current statistics of foreigners both legal and illegal working around the area,” said Hon Cwaile
The Committee also recommended amongst others that there should be a meeting between the Department of Public Works and Roads, the Provincial Police Secretariat, both the Provincial and National offices of the South African Police Services to resolve current poor conditions of police buildings more especially at rural areas.

The Committee also met with the Department of Public Works and Roads on the same day and commended their good work in completing an upgrade of a gravel to surface standard of road D415 from Gopane to Lobatleng, which includes contruction of bridge at 20 km. The committee also appreciated the social call demonstrated by the Contractor who refurbished the Tribal Council Office and Hall, clearing the graveyard in Lobatleng village, blading of the road between Nkwedumang and Lobatla villages ensuring that its trafficable as well as pothole patching of the remainder of the road to Motswedi as part of Ubuntu and working together with the community to carry out the above mentioned mini projects as a Good gesture of “United We Are, We can Build South Africa”

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