POLOKWANE – Following the official launch of the Provincial Safer Festive Season Operations in Giyani, Limpopo province on 04 November 2021, a total of 3098 (three thousand and ninety eight) suspects have already been arrested during the heightened operations conducted across the Province until 15 November 2021.

The suspects, aged between 27 and 49, were arrested for various offences ranging from murder, attempted murder, robberies, sexual offences, burglaries, fraud, possession of unlicensed firearms, stock theft, possession of stolen properties, possession of drugs, business robbery, possession of stolen motor vehicles, illegal immigration, smuggling and possession of illicit cigarettes to Contravention of Disaster Management Act.

Two major breakthroughs were recently made when a 34 year old serial Facebook rapist was arrested in Tzaneen for 16 counts of rape and a 36 year serial killer, Themba Dube arrested for 07 counts of murder after bodies of 07 women were found dumped in different locations around Polokwane.

During these operations, police confiscated various items such as 337917 sticks of counterfeit cigarettes, 90 dangerous weapons including 64 knives, 580 grams dagga, 10 grams of crystal meth, 188 grams of nyaope, 21 firearms, 24 grams of cocaine and 11 motor vehicles, suspected stolen or robbed.

The suspects were arrested by Police members from different units, such as Limpopo Tracking Team, FCS, Detectives, Flying Squad, Organised Crime, Crime Intelligence, Limpopo Highway Patrol (LHP), Stock theft, VCIU and Public Order Policing (POPS).

The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Limpopo Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has welcomed all the arrests made during these operations and has thanked community members for continuously assisting the police in the fight against crime.

The arrested suspects have already started appearing before various Magistrate’s courts across the province.

Source: South African Police Service