Police in Limpopo through Operation Vala Umgodi maintains heightened police visibility to curb the scourge of illegal mining and smuggling of persons

Media Statement
South African Police Service
Office of the Provincial Commissioner Limpopo

POLOKWANE – The Police in Limpopo through Operation Vala Umgodi embarked on a massive high-density zero operation with the aim of zero tolerance to criminality on Friday 22 March 2024, focusing in the Beitbridge Port of Entry and N1 Corridor.

Multi-disciplinary Law Enforcement Agencies comprised of the Division Visible Policing and Operations Border Policing, SAPS Limpopo Police Emergency Service, K9 and Mounted Unit, Limpopo Provincial and Musina Municipal Traffic Department, South African Revenue Service, Cross Border Traffic, SAPS Musina and Beitbridge Border Police, Vehicle Crime Investigation Unit.

Addressing the multidiscipline, the Deputy Provincial Commissioner for Crime Detection Major General Samuel Manala appreciated the huge impact Operation Vala Umgodi had in the massive reduction of crime in Limpopo, particularly around stations policing borders like Musina SAPS.

Noteworthy incidents reported:

• A drone was spotted around vulnerable segments of the border whereby illegal crossing points of illicit cigarettes are mostly transported;
• A step ladder was destroyed at an illegal crossing point at the bridge;
• A rope, connecting a ferry between South Africa and Zimbabwe was cut and damaged. A huge crocodile was seen in the vicinity, which hindered the Police to swim in to get the ferry from the river and
• Make shift dwelling place by drug addicts around the border terrorizing travellers was destroyed by the members via Crime Prevention through Environmental Design approach.

Confiscation of exhibit seized were

• A white Toyota Quantum minibus
• A trailer

A 31-year-old male suspect was arrested for contravention of the Immigration Act after he was arrested on the N1 outside Musina driving a white Toyota Quantum minibus ferrying undocumented persons from Zimbabwe to Gauteng province in South Africa.

A total number of 23 undocumented persons were arrested within the ten kilometres radius of the border and they were subsequently processed by the Immigration Officers from the Department of Home Affairs for a direct deportation back to their countries of origin.

Major General Manala emphasized that the community is losing hope because of few elements in law enforcement personnel who are participating in criminal activities as opposed to fighting crime and urged all law enforcement members to be true ambassadors of their offices and work together in fighting crime.

“Be courageous and focus on what you will be doing for the protection of your own country and your fellow citizens, as well as tourists visiting the Republic of South Africa. Some will be interested to come again to invest in our province since they found themselves and felt safe out of your selflessness efforts to combat crime,” concluded Major General Manala.

The suspects are expected to appear before Musina Magistrate’s Courts in due course.

Ends

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Colonel Malesela Ledwaba
082  451 7180

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