Millions of Eastern Cape residents suffer government neglect daily in a myriad of forms.
Potholed road networks, electricity and water outages, and sewage flowing down streets are common phenomena in every town and city.
But the neglect extends beyond that.
Collapsing local and provincial governance contribute to poor investment and economic development and one of the highest unemployment rates in the country.
Hundreds of thousands of young people in this province are classified as being NEETs (not in employment, education or training).
All of this leads to higher crime rates, including serious violent crime.
Acting police minister Prof Firoz Cachalia revealed earlier this year that the Eastern Cape retained the dubious distinction of having the highest murder rate in the country.
The likelihood of being murdered here is nearly double that of Gauteng.
For these and other reasons, a highly motivated and effective police force in this province should be non-negotiable.
Instead, the SA Police Service has long been in dire straits, with a debilitating shortage of vehicles preventing police from attending crime scenes and responding to emergencies on time.
On top of that, every member of the public who has ever reported a crime at an Eastern Cape police station is acutely aware of the dilapidation.
The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) this week again highlighted just how bad the situation is.
It says police in this province face an operational crisis, with nearly 40 police stations running the risk of possible closure over deteriorating infrastructure and unsafe working conditions.
The union is demanding the labour department inspect these buildings and close those that constitute a health and safety hazard.
The dilapidated state of its buildings and ageing vehicle fleet is reflected in general institutional decay in policing.
There is a chasm between what the people of this province need and what the police can provide.
Weak capacity and slow response times erode the little confidence and trust the public still have in the police.
The result is an unwillingness to report crime, co-operate with investigations or testify in court.
Research shows that criminal networks grow stronger and communities more fearful and isolated.
Public scorn for the police further erodes police morale. And the cycle becomes ever self-perpetuating.
In his recent budget speech, Cachalia promised a “bold police reset agenda” and said the government was committed to “building a modern, professional and trusted police service”.
In the Eastern Cape, nothing could be further from this ideal.
A good start would be to provide habitable police stations that police members and the public they serve could be proud of.
It is the very least that the government should be doing.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.