The Police in Limpopo are ready to go out in full force to protect the lives and properties of people visiting the province over the Easter period.
With the expected influx of millions to the traditional Zion Christian Church (ZCC) Moria Church event, as well as visitors to the various tourist attractions in the province, members of the Police will be out in full force, working together with various stakeholders such as the Department of Roads and Transport to ensure a safe Easter period for all.
Members of the community can expect high police visibility during the next few days, with roadblocks being conducted together with stop-and-searches and other crime prevention activities in the province.
Intensified crime prevention operations and increased visibility especially, in areas where high incidents of crime are traditionally experienced, will be taking place throughout the next few weeks. This will ensure that the South African Police Service (SAPS) is always a step ahead of criminals during this holiday period and beyond.
However, the Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in the Province, Lieutenant General Simon Mpembe, has reminded members of the public that the police cannot work in isolation and requested the assistance of all the members of the communities in the province. Clean-up operations will be conducted in areas with the highest incidents of contact crimes and liquor outlets will receive high priority attention.
“We will concentrate on police priority areas and criminal activities such as illegal liquor sales, especially to underage individuals, drug dealing, illegal possession of firearms and also tracking wanted criminals.”
He appealed to vulnerable groups such as elderly women as well as teenage girls not to submit to excessive drinking and visiting tavern and shebeens. “Being under the influence of liquor makes them even more vulnerable to preying criminals and easy targets for suspects to rape and rob them of valuable items” he stressed.
Mpembe has also warned people who will be travelling to avoid hitchhiking or motorists to avoid giving lifts to hitchhikers as they might be served with drinks laced with drugs and end up being robbed or murdered. He urged members of the community to use public transport.
Members of the Police, together with other role players such as the Department of Roads and Transport, will also focus their operations on people driving under the influence of liquor.
“Do not get into a vehicle when you had consumed alcohol, Mpembe warned, “you will be arrested and placed in the police cells. Rather have a designated driver on standby to keep yourself as well as other road users safe.”
For enquiries please contact:
Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi
Cell: 082 373 2408
