Services resume at Mankweng Traffic Centre following 2024 robbery
The Mankweng Traffic Department has reopened to the public with full services restored after being closed due to an armed robbery in October 2024.
POLOKWANE – The Mankweng Traffic Department officially reopened its doors to the public after being closed for several months due to an armed robbery that took place in October last year.
The incident saw armed suspects in balaclavas storm the department’s premises, overpowering security personnel and making off with valuable equipment and sensitive documents.
The intruders gained entry by breaking windows and escaped with five computers, a laptop, two desktop PCs, two boxes of face-value papers, a server, a camera screen, and an undisclosed amount.
The robbery dealt a serious blow to the department’s operations, forcing it to temporarily shut down, leaving thousands of residents without access to critical traffic services.
In the months that followed, centres in Ladanna and Aganang experienced significant congestion as locals travelled long distances to renew licences, register vehicles and perform other essential tasks.
The closure also meant increased transport costs for residents, particularly those from surrounding rural areas.
Last Friday marked a turning point as the department resumed operations with newly installed equipment and upgraded security measures.
Municipal spokesperson Thipa Selala confirmed that all services are now fully operational, including:
• Registration and licensing of motor vehicles.
• Applications for duplicate registration certificates.
• Deregistration of motor vehicles.
• Driving licence and PDP applications and renewals.
• Learner licence and driving tests.
For residents like Thoko Magoro, the reopening of the centre comes as a welcome relief.
“I am glad they fixed what they had to fix. I won’t have to travel to Polokwane to renew my licence anymore and get to save that money instead,” she said.
