With the release of the provincial crime statistics for the third quarter of 2022, Provincial Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Thembi Hadebe remarked that although the picture did not look good in terms of numbers, the national crime stats showed that Limpopo was the only province deemed to be safe in terms of murder.
Hadebe was joined by the MEC for Transport and Community Safety, Florence Radzilani, in her boardroom in Polokwane on Friday, 24 February.
"We owe it to the people of this province to create a safe and secure environment in which all citizens live in peace and harmony, without any fear of crime. This is an obligation bestowed by the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. We have to do this by any legal means possible, even if it means we have to sleep on the streets."
Hadebe said that Limpopo Province still experienced incidents related to vigilantism in which people took the law into their own hands. This, she said, often led to the destruction of property and, in some instances, people's getting killed or injured.
Out of the 263 murders recorded in the third quarter, 48 were the result of mob justice. "There was a recent incident where the communities of Ha-Gumbu village in the Masisi area torched police vehicles and set 15 houses on fire after the traditional leader of the village was gunned down in front of his house on 12 February. We highly condemn mob justice of any kind and urge communities to allow the police to do their jobs without interference."
Hadebe said that the high crime rate in the Thohoyandou policing area especially was becoming a serious concern. "We need to adapt to the activities of the day and keep up with the new technology and the needs of the rapidly growing community and businesses, creating a watertight environment that would not allow gaps and divisions between the police and community, because such gaps may allow criminals to take advantage of the broader community and victimise them," she said.
She said that the "foot soldiers" on the ground needed to display the character of true servants, having the interests of the community at heart and desisting from any corrupt activities. "I'm calling on the men and women in blue of this province to prioritise the community's interest above their own," she said.
Meanwhile, Thohoyandou SAPS's newly appointed station commander, Brigadier Mmboneni Mukwevho, said that they had joined hands with Business Against Crime and also met with traditional leaders and communities to discuss ways of reducing the high crime rate in the area.