The Boithuso police station in Botshabelo, Free State, has been without power for the past two months due to damage to its underground infrastructure caused by cable theft. This has seriously hampered police operations, including filing criminal charges, signing affidavits, and collecting data.
Responses to Sunday World’s queries from the provincial police department and the national department of public works and infrastructure (DPWI), which is tasked with the maintenance of all police stations in the province, have revealed potential administrative delays in how the matter was handled.
The matter of the power outage at Boithuso police station was raised by the Afrikan Alliance of Social Democrats (AASD), an opposition party in the Mangaung Metro Council, in a letter dated June 18, addressed to Free State provincial police commissioner Maj-Gen Thabang Lesia; public works MEC Dibolelo Mance; premier Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae; and the Roads, Transport and Police MEC Jabu Mbalula.
“This electricity supply challenge poses a serious threat to police and community efforts of fighting gender-based violence, gangsterism and many other crimes in Botshabelo,” wrote Zwelakhe Msabe of the AASD.
Mance acknowledged receipt of the letter from AASD and referred Sunday World’s queries to the national DPWI.
Free State police told Sunday World that they first notified the department of the power outage at Boithuso on May5.
“In June 2026, a DPWI official visited the station and advised SAPS to lodge a new complaint. SAPS complied with this instruction on 11 June 2026.
“DPWI subsequently informed SAPS that the repairs could not be processed as an emergency project and would have to follow normal maintenance procedures,” explained Free State police spokesperson Brig Thandi Mbambo.
Mbambo also said that DPWI has since invited quotations for the required repairs, with the closing date set for July 3.
However, DPWI spokesperson Lennox Mabaso told Sunday World that the SAPS provincial supply chain management only lodged a complaint with the department on June 11 for the repair of an underground electrical supply cable and faulty circuit breakers, which had interrupted the normal electricity supply to the police station.
“… The department is not ignoring the matter. In fact, it has been incredibly responsive since being advised of the faulty cable and has initiated an urgent procurement process to get it repaired.
“DPWI understands the importance of ensuring that police stations remain functional and safe for both SAPS members and the communities they serve. Once the matter was brought to the department’s attention and logged through the required processes, DPWI began the necessary steps to resolve the fault.”
- The Boithuso police station in Botshabelo, Free State, has been without power for the past two months due to damage to its underground infrastructure caused by cable theft.
- This has seriously hampered police operations, including filing criminal charges, signing affidavits, and collecting data.
- Responses to Sunday World’s queries from the provincial police department and the national department of public works and infrastructure (DPWI), which is tasked with the maintenance of all police stations in the province, have revealed potential administrative delays in how the matter was handled.
- The matter of the power outage at Boithuso police station was raised by the Afrikan Alliance of Social Democrats (AASD), an opposition party in the Mangaung Metro Council, in a letter dated June 18, addressed to Free State provincial police commissioner Maj-Gen Thabang Lesia; public works MEC Dibolelo Mance; premier Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae; and the Roads, Transport and Police MEC Jabu Mbalula.
- “This electricity supply challenge poses a serious threat to police and community efforts of fighting gender-based violence, gangsterism and many other crimes in Botshabelo,” wrote Zwelakhe Msabe of the AASD.
Responses to
“
Mance acknowledged receipt of the letter from AASD and referred
Free State police told
“In June 2026, a DPWI official visited the station and advised SAPS to lodge a new complaint. SAPS complied with this instruction on 11 June 2026.
“DPWI subsequently informed SAPS that the repairs could not be processed as an emergency project and would have to follow normal maintenance procedures,” explained Free State police spokesperson Brig
However, DPWI spokesperson Lennox Mabaso told
“…
“DPWI understands the importance of ensuring that police stations remain functional and safe for both SAPS members and the communities they serve. Once the matter was brought to the department’s attention and logged through the required processes, DPWI began the necessary steps to resolve the fault.”
