LIMPOPO – The event was attended by Provincial Police Commissioner, Lt Genl Nneke Ledwaba, Deputy Provincial Commissioner Policing, Maj Genl Jan Scheepers, Deputy Provincial Commissioner, Maj Genl Christine Morakaladi, Deputy Cluster Commander for Tzaneen Cluster, Brig Marry Mashila, Deputy Cluster Commander for Giyani, Brig Mbazima Marungani, Tzaneen cluster station commanders, cluster community policing forums (CPFs) and representatives of farming communities from Tzaneen, Gravelotte, Letsitele, Modjadjieskloof, Mooketsi and Hoedspruit.
Police Spokesperson, Col Moatshe Ngoepe, said the event was held to commend local farmers for consistently partnering with police in the prevention of crime and apprehension of criminals who committed cash-in-transit heists, robberies, illegal hunting, farm attacks, stock theft, trespassing and copper wire theft.
He said some of the achievements reached during the joint operations include a major breakthrough made after a cash-in-transit that occurred on Tuesday, 5 June.
This happened when security officers who were transporting money along the R71 road between Letsitele and Tarentaalrand outside Tzaneen were accosted by about 10 suspects travelling in two cars. The suspects were apprehended and items including firearms were recovered within a short space of time.
During the ceremony, Ben Coller, who represented the farming communities, thanked the police for being so patriotic in joining hands with the farmers and also expressed his gratitude on the declining levels of crime in the area.
Speaking at the event, Scheepers also commended the farmers for allocating physical resources like helicopters in response to serious crimes such as cash-in-transit heists and robberies, and added that in order to defeat crime, an element of mistrust must never be allowed to grow between the police and farming communities.
In his closing remarks, Ledwaba voiced his appreciation for the continuous and unconditional input made by the farming communities. “You can deploy platoons and platoons of workforce to all the areas to deal with crime, but if the communities do not have confidence in the service, you will never be successful,” he said.
