The Safer Festive Season operations that are being conducted across the length and breadth of this Province have already yielded positive results when a significant number of suspects were arrested for various offenses.
Since the official launch of Safer Festive Season Operations by the Police Ministry on 13 October 2017, a staggering 6709 suspects have already been arrested in the province for crimes such as Murder, Rape, House Robbery, Business Robbery, Burglary Residential, Assault GBH, Theft of motor vehicles, Possession of stolen vehicle/properties and other crimes including liquor related offenses.
Of the 6709 suspects that were arrested so far, 135 were nabbed in just one day, during high density operations that were championed by the Deputy Provincial Commissioner Bafana Linda on Friday 2017-12-08. These operations were mainly conducted in Polokwane, Mankweng and Seshego Clusters and were also joined by Support Services members who normally perform office duties. All other Clusters also conducted similar operations.
In Tubatse outside Burgersfort, eight suspects aged between 23 and 30 years were arrested on Friday, 8 December 2017, for armed robbery and possession of illegal firearms during the operation that was led by the Cluster Commander Major General Maepa. The following were recovered during these arrests:
* 02x 9mm pistols, 1x cell phone, 2 x cars being Ford Bantam and a VW and another a Ford Bantam that was stolen at Vosman.
* 2 x sachets of Dagga.
* 04 x sachets of nyaope.
In Ritavi outside Tzaneen, two suspects aged 27 and 30 were arrested for unlawful possession of firearm and possession of suspected stolen properties and the following were recovered:
* 01 x revolver .38 special.
* 4 LG speakers
*Steak chain
*HP Laptop
*External hard-drives
*Camera
*Kettle & clothes.
* 02 x cellphones.
* 01 x BMW sedan stolen in Gauteng.
In Hlanganani outside Giyani, four suspects aged between 20 and 26 years were arrested for a series of armed robberies.
In addition to these recent arrests that were made, the following successes were also achieved since the launch of the operations:
• A total of 42 motor vehicles were recovered including the five that were stolen from a garage in Phalaborwa
• A total of 248 firearms and ammunitions were also seized
• 175.281 grams of Nyaope seized
• 47423.4 assorted drugs confiscated
In an unprecedented move that saw police members from different environments such as Crime Intelligence, Detective Service, the K9, Mounted Unit, Operational Response Service (ORS) Public Order Policing (POPs), TRTs, the Air Wing and Visible Police being deployed in large numbers at all identified hotspots, criminals find it difficult to operate and fugitives hard to evade justice.
Not a single crime was reported during the high density operations that were conducted on Friday 2017-12-08 in Polokwane.
The Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Nneke Ledwaba has commended all members involved for their dedication and determination that were manifested during these operations. “As the mood for the festive season celebrations is gradually gaining momentum amongst our communities, opportunistic criminals will also attempt to pounce on unsuspecting possible victims. We therefore urge all members of the community to remain vigilant during this period,” said General Ledwaba.