The communities around Ha-Magidi and surrounding villages and towns such as Makwarela near Thohoyandou heaved the sigh of relief after a wanted fugitive, who used to terrorise the people for a long time, was nabbed for 19 serious and violent crimes and escaping from lawful custody.
A community leader in Ha-Magidi village, Mr Thifhelimbilu Liphadzi, told Limpopo Mirror that the mother of the accused had called him last Friday and said that her child Tsireledzo Makhadi (40), better known as "Tsire" and wanted for serious crimes, was back at home and was terrorising the family, threatening to kill them with a gun.
According to Liphadzi, the traumatized mother said the accused used to go around during the day and life was a nightmare when he came back home at night.
"We then informed the police, who arrived on Sunday morning, in a joint tactical and intelligence-driven operation that was conducted in the village. We are happy that the police have finally arrested him because we were worried about the lives of members of the family and communities, who could be in danger because of his behaviour," said Liphadzi.
Liphadzi further said the mother had been hospitalised after the traumatic situation when her troubling son came back to her home.
Limpopo police spokesperson Brig Motlafela Mojapelo commended the community in Ha-Magidi for their assistance and tip-off to the police. The accused was allegedly in possession of an unlicensed firearm when the police arrested him.
Mojapelo said the accused was facing 19 charges of serious and violent crimes, including housebreaking, stealing and theft, rape, possession of unlicensed firearm and escaping from lawful custody.
According to Brig Mojapelo, when the accused was ordered to surrender, he started shooting at the police, who retaliated and, in the process, the accused was wounded. He was taken to hospital for medical treatment. During his arrest, one firearm, one magazine with two live rounds of ammunition and two knives were recovered.
"The police's preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect was linked to a series of crimes that he had allegedly committed in Thohoyandou and Acornhoek, in the Mpumalanga policing area," he added.
He appeared in the Thohoyandou Magistrate's Court on Monday in absentia (as he is being treated in hospital) and his case was postponed to 15 June for further police investigation, Mojapelo said.
The provincial commissioner of the South African Police Services in Limpopo, Lt-Gen Nneke Ledwaba, applauded the team's members for the sterling job in arresting this highly wanted suspected.