June got off to a bad and bloody start with crime in the Vhembe area seemingly spiralling out of control. Thursday (1st) saw a daring early morning CIT robbery, followed by a fatal shooting at a tavern later the same day.
Two people died and six were injured in a shooting incident at a tavern at Malamulele. The shooting took place at around 20:00.
"It is alleged that plus or minus eight unknown males came to the tavern and without any warning on their arrival they started to shoot randomly," said Limpopo police commissioner Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe. He said that during the shooting, the suspects shot eight people, two of which died on the scene. The six injured victims were rushed to the hospital for medical attention.
Several cartridges fired from a pistol were found scattered at the scene of the shooting. The suspects fled the scene with two double cab bakkies. At this stage, the police said, the motive for the shooting and the subsequent killing of two people remains unknown.
"This kind of senseless killing must be condemned, and I have tasked the members to hunt down the suspects and arrest them. I further call upon the community to come forward with information that can help police," Hadebe said.
The violent shooting comes just hours after the daring cash-in-transit (CIT) heist at around 08:00 at Tshakuma in the Levubu area. According to the police, a CIT vehicle was heading towards Thohoyandou along the R524 road when a white Toyota Camry travelling in an opposite direction collided with the CIT vehicle.
"Suddenly, an unknown number of suspects armed with pistols and rifles emerged on foot. The driver of the cash van and his crew fled the scene while a guard was trapped inside. Subsequently, the suspects placed explosives onto the cash van and took an undisclosed amount of money. They torched the Toyota Camry before they fled in a VW Amarok double cab silver grey in colour, as well as a white Toyota Etios and Rav4 Toyota," said Ledwaba in an earlier statement. One of the security guard's weapons was also stolen.
The security guard who was trapped inside the vehicle was assisted by the community who called the police and an ambulance. He sustained serious injuries and was transported to hospital for medical treatment.
Following the incidents, Hadebe ordered the establishment of a Task Team to track down and apprehend those behind the heists.
Anyone with information that can assist in the apprehension of the suspects involved in the CIT heist are asked to contact Captain George Mutavhatsindi on 071 351 7275, Lieutenant Colonel Richard Boshomane on 079 894 5501 or Warrant Officer Phaladi Makola on 082 749 2233. Boshomane and Makola can also be contacted for information that will lead to the arrest of those responsible for the tavern shooting. Alternatively, information can also be supplied by phoning the Crime Stop number 086 001 0111, visiting your nearest police station or using the MySAPSApp.