Despite the fourth quarter crime statistics for the 2024/25 financial year revealing a decrease in contact crimes in Limpopo, 105 victims still reported cases including murder, assault GBH, rape, robbery and theft to SAPS daily.
Of great concern is the prevalence of all crimes reported at the Thohoyandou police station.
Thohoyandou is the only provincial station in the Top 30 stations for all contact crimes, ranked 15th, and also appear in the top 30 stations for various crimes 13 times.
Thohoyandou is most often against the downward trend of a specific crime category in Limpopo with increases in assault GBH, common assault and common robbery.
Urgent high-level intervention is required as SAPS is losing the battle against crime in Thohoyandou.
Thohoyandou ranked first nationally for reported sexual offences and rape; Seshego ranked 13th and Mankweng 18th respectively in the top 30 stations for sexual offences.
The per capita chances of being raped in Limpopo is above the national average and is indicative of persistent misguided efforts to instil a lack of zero tolerance for gender-based violence and femicide (GBV+F) in our society, as well as a lack of resources and experienced investigating officers.
We note and welcome the Minister of Police’s announcements that new forensic laboratories will be established in key provinces, and that the national 90-day GBV+F Blitz began on 1 May 2025.
The reactivation of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on GBV+F is also a step in the right direction.
We will request both the portfolio committees for Transport and community safety and Quality of life for women, children and persons with disabilities to conduct oversights to police stations, victim empowerment centres and NGO’s assisting victims in court for tangible results that the Blitz yielded in the province.
The DA’s safety plan offers a practical, results-driven roadmap. It includes localised policing strategies that embed officers in the communities they serve; expanded forensic and intelligence capacity backed by technology and real-time data; specialised units focused on gang, drug, rural and GBV-related crime; and a complete overhaul of SAPS to ensure every officer is trained, accountable, and properly resourced.