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The South African Police Service is making excellent progress towards managing its vehicle fleet more effectively. The results in improved fleet management will lead to improved service delivery and the cost-effective utilisation of transport in the SAPS.

The SAPS is responsible to manage a vehicle fleet of 32 000 vehicles, ranging from motorcycles, cars, bakkies, busses, trucks, boats, armoured vehicles, aeroplanes and helicopters.

Police vehicles travel millions of kilometres every month, sometimes covering the worst road conditions imaginable. We use between eleven and fourteen million litres of petrol each month, using a substantial portion of the annual operational budget. Unfortunately some members of the Service are still abusing and misusing this valuable resource, resulting in higher than necessary expenses and contributing to poor service delivery.

Against this background, Assistant Commissioner Danny Pillay, was appointed in December 1999 as the first Head of Vehicle Fleet Management in the SAPS. He has since established a vehicle fleet management task team to investigate and resolve the issues relating to the abuse and misuse of police vehicles. He is also investigating the use of a tracker type network system for the fleet.

The task team that presently operates on a national level has already proven it's worth in identifying causes of damage to vehicles and investigating cases of misuse of vehicles by police officials. A number of weaknesses in vehicle fleet management were identified, including the misuse and abuse of vehicles and the excessive cost in maintaining the fleet and to pay civil claims resulting from vehicle collisions. The SAPS spends on average R52 million annually on repairs to collision damage and settling civil claims resulting from vehicle collisions.

Apart from the financial implications, SAPS management is concerned about the apparent lack of vehicles available for servicing the community and the lack of responsibility of some members regarding the proper caring for official vehicles.

To further enhance the performance of the vehicle fleet management task team, a dedicated phone number where complaints regarding the abuse and misuse of vehicles can be reported, is now available. The number is (012) 841 7141. Members of the community and of the SAPS are invited to make use of this facility.

The management of the South African Police Service is dedicated to improve service delivery to the people of South Africa and to ensure that all resources are utilised in a responsible and cost-effective manner.

Contact: Snr Supt. Andrew Lesch: 082 800 6740

Issued by South African Police Service

15 August 2000