A rapid rise in crime rates for Mokopane
THE community of Mokopane has been hit with a series of senseless crimes in the last two months and Bosveld raises the question why?
MOKOPANE – THE community of Mokopane has been hit with a series of senseless crimes in the last two months and Bosveld raises the question why?
The first serious incident happened on Friday, March 20 when the well known businessman Aslam Motala, owner of Motala Hardware store in Mokopane, was shot in the left leg in front of his store as he was on his way to deposit R26 000, the suspect took off with the money in a silver BMW. The next incident occurred only five days later on March 25 when a man was shot in the foot and robbed of cash at the Mokopane Mall, the suspect also took off in a silver BMW, no arrests has yet been made.
On Friday March 27 the well known 56-year-old Sello Gideon Fatane was shot three times, once in the head and twice in the neck, and killed in front of his house in Fourie Street. Two suspects Thabo Matlaila and Charles Mogale has been arrested in connection with the murder and will appear before the Mokopane magistrates court on Friday, (today).
Charles Mgidi a member of the Mogalakwena residents association was shot and killed in broad day light on April 4 at the Caltex garage in Nelson Mandela Street. Three suspects, all well known taxi owners, Samuel Matjila, Patrick Sekhu and Desmond Mashaba, was arrested for the murder of Mgidi and appeared in the Mokopane magistrates court on April 17 where they were denied bail by magistrate Annalies Swanepoel, and the trail was postponed to June 30.
Mokopane was brought to a stand still on April 17, some called it a ghost town, 2000 residents gathered outside the Mokopane magistrates court to oppose the bail of the three suspects in the Mgidi murder case.
Businesses were closed, schools came out earlier, the only people to be seen in town was the residents in front of the court in Hooge Street.
The Engen filling station on the corner of Dudu Madisha and Nelson Mandela drive was the first target in a series of filling station robberies, to be robbed by six armed robbers in the early hours of Monday morning, April 20, explosives were used to blow open the drop safe. Three of the six robbers have been arrested and are awaiting to appear before the Polokwane magistrates court.
“The crime rate in Mokopane has definitely gone up, and we at Strike force are much busier in our fight against crime. We have a big demand for the application of alarm systems in residents’ homes, the community is definitely much more security conscious. In my opinion the main reason is the expansion of the mines, everyone knows that it will lead to growth in Mokopane, and criminals are wise they know that this means more houses and business to break into. Unemployment is also still a big cause for crime,” said Frik Wagner, owner of Strike Force Armed response.
Percy Nketsi, chairperson for the Mogalakwena Residents Association, MRA, said, “The main reason for the rise in crime in Mokopane is it is a territorial battle that is politically motivated! Mokopane is rich in platinum and everyone want a peace of the pie. Court orders are not implemented, leadership undermines the legislation. Justice delayed is justice denied.”
Piet de Bruyn, president of the Mokopane Chamber of Business, said, “In my opinion when you look at the state of the country criminals are getting away with undermining the law. There are a lot of unemployed people and crime is an easy outcome they know that the chance of them being caught is very low.”
