Thohoyandou Police Station has earned the grim distinction of being ranked number one in South Africa for reported rape and sexual offences — a devastating milestone that has triggered outrage, concern, and urgent calls for intervention from activists, community leaders and politicians.
According to the SAPS's fourth-quarter crime statistics for 2024/25, Thohoyandou leads the country in both rape and sexual offence cases, despite Limpopo's recording an overall decline in contact crimes.
The national statistics were released last week, with the provincial breakdown published on Wednesday. The figures paint a bleak picture of Thohoyandou. If prizes were awarded for topping national lists, the region would be celebrating — but as it stands, the only ones smiling are the criminals.
From January to March this year, 85 cases of sexual offences were reported at Thohoyandou — one fewer than the previous quarter and 12 fewer than a year ago. But Thohoyandou nevertheless moved into the number one spot, suggesting that other regions have had more success curbing such crimes. In the same period, 78 rape cases were reported in Thohoyandou — the highest number nationwide.
Sexual offences are not the only crisis plaguing the area. Burglaries — both at residential and business premises — are also on the rise. Between January and March, 90 cases of burglary at non-residential premises were reported, placing Thohoyandou third on the national list. During the same period, 181 burglaries at residential properties were recorded — a 37.1% increase year on year.
The provincial stats offer a deeper glimpse into how residents are being tormented. In the first three months of the year, 1,541 serious crimes were reported at Thohoyandou Police Station — nearly 100 more than in Polokwane.
Thohoyandou tops the provincial list for contact crimes, with 743 reported cases. It shares the number one spot with Seshego for murder, with both stations reporting 12 cases each. Three of the murders were attributed to vigilantism.
A particularly troubling figure is the 11 car hijackings reported in Thohoyandou — the most in the province. Robberies at residential premises surged to 32 cases, by far the highest in Limpopo. These crimes helped push the Vhembe District to the top in this category, with 99 reported cases.
Thohoyandou also features in the statistics for kidnapping, sharing the top spot with Dennilton in Sekhukhune, with 10 cases each.
In response to the spike in crime, the Civilian Secretariat for Police Service, along with the Limpopo Department of Transport and Community Safety and SAPS Limpopo, held a stakeholder engagement in Vhembe on Friday, 16 May. The session, led by Provincial Commissioner Lt-Genl Thembi Hadebe, aimed to rebuild community trust and address crime across the 461 villages under Thohoyandou's policing jurisdiction.
"I agree we need more boots on the ground — more personnel, satellite stations, and resources," said Hadebe. "This is a vast area, and our officers are working under immense pressure." She committed to reopening a closed satellite station and introducing a third vehicle for traditional policing.
Hadebe also introduced senior SAPS officials — Deputy Provincial Commissioner Maj-Gen Jan Scheepers (Policing), Maj-Gen Samuel Manala (Crime Detection), District Commissioner Maj-Gen Eddie van der Walt — along with the Thohoyandou station leadership.
But for many, the response is too little, too late.
"Thohoyandou is not just in crisis — it's become the epicentre of a war on women and children," said the DA's Member of Parliament in Limpopo, Marie Helm. "It's the only police station in Limpopo to feature 13 times in the national Top 30 for contact crimes. SAPS is losing the battle here."
Motlafela Mojapelo, spokesperson for The Eyes of the Nation (TEON), said the problem was systemic. "Thohoyandou needs a fully-fledged second police station. The area is vast, riddled with liquor outlets and isolated bushy zones between villages and schools," he said. "Traditional policing can't reach behind closed doors where uncles, cousins, stepfathers are raping children. That's why we're running outreach initiatives — like the one we held on 23 May."
He called for deeper community involvement: "This fight needs families, civil society, survivors — not just uniforms. Everyone must be on the frontline."
Pfarelo Mathivha, a social worker and international life coach from the Isa Mathivha Foundation, said the numbers were "appalling".
"This reflects a deep crisis. Yes, maybe awareness has improved reporting, but the root causes — poverty, substance abuse, toxic masculinity — are still thriving. What are we missing? Campaigns exist, yet the numbers rise. We're not hitting the roots hard enough."
Tshivhase Nkhume from PRACSOL pointed to failures in the justice system. "We only see the reported cases — many more stay hidden. Our courts drag these matters out and some are provisionally withdrawn with no valid reason. Where's the justice?"
She also flagged procedural issues. "There are gaps in how statements are taken. Officers need retraining. Communities need education — how to report, how to protect themselves."
Perhaps the most damning critique came from Manthada Fhatuwani, director of the Thohoyandou Victim Empowerment Programme. "We have rape cases still pending from 2015 — perpetrators are walking free. What message are we sending? That rape carries no consequence?"
He accused the system of enabling repeat offenders. "Same men. Same victims. The system is too slow to stop them. Some are in prison — with Wi-Fi and degrees — while victims outside are silenced and struggling."
His final words were chilling: "We're safer in the streets than our own homes. People are raped in their bedrooms, after work, in their yards."
Fhatuwani called for urgent political intervention: "Let the chairperson of the Justice Portfolio Committee come to Thohoyandou and see this mess. This is no longer a backlog — it's a breeding ground for predators."