The concerted efforts of the South African Police Service and other law enforcement agencies in Limpopo Province continue to wipe out criminal activities across the Province following the arrests of 2095 suspects aged between 19 and 50 during weekly joint operations that were conducted from 29 May until Sunday morning 13 June 2021.
The suspects were arrested for different crimes including murder, attempted murder, rape and sexual offenses, unlawful possession of firearms and dealing in drugs.
Enforcement on compliance with the Liquor Act was heightened which resulted in 356 fines being issued and 51 shebeens were also shut down. Police also confiscated 209 809 sticks of illicit cigarettes, 50 dangerous weapons, 30 firearms, 64 knives and 15 stolen motor vehicles.
A total of 2635 fines and compliance notices related to the Road Traffic Act were issued.
▪Police in Ritavi have arrested a 54-year-old suspect for murder and attempted murder that took place at Nkowankowa Township on 12 June 2021 at about 19:30. Police reacted to a tip-off by the community and upon arrival, they found a 27-year-old woman and a 30 year man with gunshot wounds. The man, Wessel Visser was certified dead on the scene and the woman was transported to hospital with serious injuries.
The suspect was arrested later after he handed himself at the Ritavi police station. The licensed firearm was also confiscated. The motive is unknown at this stage but domestic violence cannot be ruled out. The suspect will appear in Nkowankowa Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 14 June 2021.
▪A concerted effort to fight incidents of property and trio crimes, has once again yielded positive with the recent arrest of hardened criminals. On 10 June 2021, members of the Highway Patrol Team received information about armed robbery at a cosmetic shop in the Hlogotlou policing area.
Upon arrival, one suspect aged 26 was already arrested by Hlogotlou Saps members at Vleeschboom Village and the getaway vehicle was also confiscated. The other suspect aged 50, was arrested at a house in Takataka section with assistance of the Saps Airwing. One 9mm pistol with ammunition was recovered.
▪The Highway Patrol Team on 9 June 2021, arrested a 47-year-old suspect for possession of suspected stolen motor vehicle at Sekgakgapeng village near Mokopane. Preliminary police investigations revealed that the vehicle was reported stolen at Sinoville Police Station in Gauteng province.
▪Meanwhile, on the same day, two suspects aged 26 and 28 were arrested for unlawful possession of firearm and ammunition, possession of dagga and cultivation of dagga at Percy five plots in the Westenburg policing area outside Polokwane. Police searched the premises and found large bags and containers full of dagga. They also discovered about 200 dagga trees with the estimated street value of over R250 000.00.
▪In another joint operation conducted by Organized Crime Unit and Public Order Policing on 9 June 2021 in the Driekop policing area, a 24 year old suspect was arrested for illegal mining at Samanco mine in Atok Village.The suspect was caught with a truck loaded with chrome.
Some of these suspects have started appearing before magistrate courts across the province.
The Provincial Commissioner of police in Limpopo Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe is impressed with the hard work and collaborative efforts by these operational members.
“We must push these criminals out of their hiding places until Limpopo is a crime free province, concluded Lieutenant General Hadebe.
The operations are continuing.
