Thohoyandou policing area to be split as rape cases rise
Thohoyandou policing area will be divided into three sectors as rape cases strain resources, despite an overall drop in provincial crime.
LIMPOPO – With a high number of rape cases reported at the Thohoyandou Police Station, provincial police commissioner Lt Gen Thembi Hadebe has acknowledged the pressure facing the station. She confirmed plans to divide its policing area into three sections to improve service delivery.
Station under pressure
Hadebe said the station currently serves more than 40 villages, making it difficult to respond effectively to crime.
“We understand that Thohoyandou Police Station is serving over 40 villages, and it becomes difficult for the station to deal with such huge communities,” she said.
New station under construction
She added that the police are constructing a new, modern police station in Khubvi, with a two-year construction period, to enhance safety and provide improved policing services.
The facility will include modern technology and a victim-friendly room, aimed at improving police visibility and services in Khubvi and surrounding villages.
Overall crime declines in third quarter
Hadebe, together with the MEC for Community Safety, Violet Mathye, released the third-quarter crime statistics for the 2025/26 financial year (October to December 2025) last Monday.
According to Hadebe, overall crime in the province declined across most categories. Contact crimes decreased by 11.7%, trio crimes by 24.4%, contact-related crimes by 5.6%, property crimes by 15.2%, and other serious crimes by 8.6%.
This brought the overall reduction in the 17 priority crimes to 11.2%.
Murder cases increase despite downward trend
Murder cases, however, increased by 5.9% during the third quarter. The province recorded 215 murders, compared to 203 during the same period last year – an increase of 12 cases.
“While this increase is a matter of concern, overall contact crimes continued their downward trend compared to the same period last year,” said Hadebe. “Despite the increase, we maintained a rate of 3.5% per 100 000 population and have remained the lowest in the country for the past five consecutive years.”
She added that over a five-year period, the murder trend has declined by 25.9%.
Boost for FCS unit to tackle GBVF
In efforts to combat gender-based violence and femicide, the province recorded a 5.8% decrease in sexual offences. Rape cases declined by 5.5%, sexual assault increased by three cases, and attempted sexual assault decreased by 15 cases.
“We are bolstering our FCS unit with additional personnel. A total of 124 police officers are currently in field development and will serve in this unit and other critical environments. This demonstrates our commitment to holding perpetrators of violence against women and children accountable,” Hadebe said.
Mathye welcomed the overall reduction in crime but expressed concern about the rise in murder cases.
She commended the police for their efforts and urged communities to continue reporting crime and supporting crime prevention initiatives.
