Police spokesperson, Motantsi Makhele, tells OFM News that despite a backlog with vehicles that are stuck at the garage, 100 vehicles have already been issued to stations and 100 more will be issued at a later stage. He tells OFM News police management is currently putting measures in place to address the repairs of these vehicles by outsourcing and fixing them within the nine police garages in the province.

Makhele blames the global coronavirus pandemic which he says played a major role in the backlog of repairing these vehicles. OFM News previously reported that a reliable source said that over 270 police vehicles either have mechanical, panel beating, or minor service problems and are piling up at this already overstretched garage

Over 300 vehicles that have been classified as write-offs because of the extent of damage suffered during the accidents, have been gathering dust at the garage for almost five years, waiting to be compacted. Makhele, however, says the backlog is currently being addressed and he says the compacting of vehicles already started in March 2020 but due to the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, the process had to be stopped.

"There’s currently no contract and only one supplier registered on the Central Supplier Database (CSD) for compacting in Bloemfontein, and we want to do everything according to prescripts as required by supply chain management requirements. Vehicles that are boarded but still in good conditions are going through the auction process. Space issues are indeed a challenge and as soon as we have finalised the auction and compacting processes, the problem will be sorted out," he adds. Some of the vehicles which are stuck at the garage have had they tyres stolen by criminals.

Makhele further adds that while putting all these measures in place, an effort will be made to see to it that service delivery is not being compromised in any manner.

OFM News