Giyani – Deputy Minister of Police Cassel Mathale and the South African Police Service (SAPS) Limpopo Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Jan Petrus Scheepers, took part in a weekend Crime Prevention Ministerial Imbizo.
The anti-crime gathering on Saturday, 22 August 2026, at Thomo Village in Giyani provided a platform for meaningful engagement between the SAPS, traditional leaders, community members, government departments and other key stakeholders.
The imbizo focused on collaborative efforts to combat and prevent crime, including Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF), stock theft, drug-related offences, cable theft, cybercrime and other prevalent crimes affecting Thomo Village and surrounding communities.
The programme began with a walkabout at Giyani Police Station, where Deputy Minister Mathale engaged with Station Management and stakeholders.
A courtesy visit to Hosi Shiviti of the Shiviti Tribal Authority followed this.
During the visit, Deputy Minister Mathale formally introduced Lieutenant General Scheepers in his new role and assured him of the necessary support.
He emphasised the importance of strengthening relations with traditional authorities and other key stakeholders, including Community Policing Forums (CPFs), community patrollers, municipalities and other government entities.
Representatives from the Departments of Transport and Community Safety, Correctional Services, Health and Home Affairs, as well as PSIRA, business forums, CPFs, YCOP, faith-based organisations and NGOs, also participated in the engagement.
Their involvement highlighted the importance of a coordinated approach to community safety and ensuring that concerns are addressed through collective interventions.
Lieutenant General Scheepers emphasised that the purpose of the engagement was to hear directly from the people of Thomo and surrounding communities, understand their lived experiences and ensure that SAPS, together with departments and entities within the criminal justice system, remains accountable to the communities it serves.
He urged community members not to shy away from raising their concerns and encouraged them to report corruption and unethical conduct involving police officials.
He stressed that there is no place within SAPS for corrupt officials and reaffirmed the commitment to the SAPS Reset Agenda.
Hosi Shiviti welcomed the engagement and expressed appreciation for the Deputy Minister’s visit.
He highlighted challenges affecting the area, including cable theft and drug-related activities, and called for strengthened cooperation between the police, traditional authorities and other stakeholders to find sustainable solutions.
Member of Parliament K Bilankulu called for unity among all stakeholders and urged communities to work together in addressing crime, including GBVF and cybercrime.
Mopani District Commissioner Major General Mashava presented an overview of crime in the Giyani policing area and provided feedback on commitments made during a previous community engagement held in 2022.
Following presentations and inputs from community members, Deputy Minister Mathale addressed the concerns raised during the engagement.
He acknowledged challenges relating to drug abuse, particularly around the taxi rank, incidents of shootings and other crime-related concerns.
The Deputy Minister called on law enforcement agencies to enforce the law firmly and urged police officers to serve communities ethically, professionally and with integrity.
He assured residents that the concerns raised would receive attention and that follow-ups would be conducted, stressing that the issues raised by the community are being taken seriously.
Deputy Minister Mathale further called on the municipality, traditional authorities, law enforcement agencies and other relevant stakeholders to work together in developing and enforcing appropriate by-laws to regulate small businesses and address challenges affecting local businesses.
He concluded by calling for unity and collective action among the community, traditional authorities, municipality, SAPS and all relevant stakeholders to address crime and create meaningful change.
The engagement reaffirmed the principle that community safety is a shared responsibility, requiring all sectors of society to work together to build safer and more secure communities.
The engagement was attended by, among others, MP K Bilankulu, Hosi Shiviti, Giyani Local Municipality Acting Mayor Cllr Baloyi, Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) Acting Executive Director Dr Bila, Acting Divisional Commissioner for Detective and Forensic Services Major General Mohale, Civilian Secretariat representative Dr Dolo, Deputy Provincial Commissioners Major General FM Sebola and Major General Masingi, Mopani District Commissioner Major General Mashava, Vhembe District Commissioner Major General van der Walt, Head of the Hawks Major General Governder, provincial and district management, the Mopani District Junior Commissioner and other SAPS members.
