Residents demand new police stations in Sweetwaters, Imbali

Residents of Sweetwaters and Imbali have renewed their call for fully fledged police stations at a public participation meeting held on Tuesday, which focused on the needs of under-capacitated stations. Colonel Teres Dewkie said plans are under way to establish fully fledged police stations in Sweetwaters and Imbali, which were initially proposed as satellite stations. However, these plans were already announced in 2024 by KZN Premier Thami Ntuli and police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.

The meeting reignited long-standing frustrations in the Plessislaer precinct, where residents said repeated promises of improved policing and new infrastructure have not been fulfilled. The development follows long-standing concerns about the large jurisdiction of the existing Plessislaer police station, which covers Imbali, Sweetwaters and surrounding townships, making it difficult to respond effectively. It is not the first time that we sit here and discuss this.

“I don’t know how many meetings we have had in Sweetwaters where residents keep asking about the promised police station, but until today we are unable to respond,” said Plessislaer Community Policing Forum (CPF) chairperson Sifiso Mavundla. Mavundla questioned whether new stations would improve policing outcomes, raising concerns about recruitment, loyalty and accountability. “The question is whether the people who are going to be employed there will be loyal,” he said.