The Vhembe police are "slowly but surely winning the fight against crime," said district commissioner Maj-Gen Eddie van der Walt, who used the welcoming parade for newly recruited officers to underline that the police are beginning to reclaim control in hotspot areas. Speaking at Makhado Crossing Mall on 25 November, he said the latest arrests and a drop in daily robberies showed that intensified operations were working.
The new officers have completed a six-month basic-training programme, covering crime prevention, investigations, physical fitness and street-survival tactics. Van der Walt said the street-survival component was designed to prepare them for life-threatening situations and to reduce the number of officers killed on duty. The recruits will be deployed immediately to high-crime areas, including Malamulele, Thohoyandou, Waterval and Tshilwavhusiku.
He thanked the trainees for choosing a policing career and said their arrival would strengthen the SAPS's efforts to stabilise the district. Van der Walt stressed again that crime levels were improving. "We used to have many robberies every day, but this has been drastically reduced. We are taking control, and we are happy that we managed to arrest most of these criminals. With the additional members and support from the community, we are hopeful that we will rid our area of crime once and for all," he said.
He urged the new officers to stay safe and protect their integrity. "We have invested a lot in you, and your life is very important to us. Please take care of yourselves," he said. He warned them against corruption and against forming ties with criminals. "Criminals are not your friends. If you choose to become friends with them, know that they will corrupt you, and you will become a criminal yourself," he said.