Lim Commerce Chamber reacts to skyrocketing business burglaries
According to the Limpopo Chamber of Commerce and Industry president, Albert Jeleni, some businesses do not survive after these burglaries, and must close its doors.
POLOKWANE – The significant increase in burglaries at non-residential premises in the city could very well be a direct result of soaring drug-use in the area.
This is according to the Limpopo Chamber of Commerce and Industry president, Albert Jeleni who commented on the 94.7% increase in such crimes reported at the city’s police station between April and June this year, compared to the same period last year.
Read more: Polokwane ranks top countrywide for business burglaries
From the 136 arrests made across Limpopo, only a few were recorded in Polokwane, police commissioner, Lt Gen Thembi Hadebe confirmed during last Thursday’s release of the crime statistics at her boardroom in Schoeman Street.
Arrests made in terms of illegal substances made in the city point to the confiscation of 83 817g of dagga, 2 845g of crystal meth and 407g of nyaope in the same period.
Meanwhile, 20 foreign nationals and 12 South Africans were found in possession of drugs between May and July during 12 respective searches in the province.
While he believes these drug figures speak to the possible larger volumes of illegal substances being sold in Polokwane, Jeleni told Polokwane Observer that from their experience in the chamber, very few perpetrators were prosecuted, usually due to a lack of evidence collection at the crime scene or that the scene had been tampered with.
“Some businesses do not survive after these burglaries, and must close its doors. When no one accounts because police and the prosecuting authority have not found anything tangible to effect an arrest, bread is taken out of people’s mouths.”
