24 Jun 2021

Bobonong and Semolale police Station commanders have said compliance with COVID-19 regulations is generally good and that level of crime is low in their jurisdictions.

Speaking from their base stations the two superintendents have shown that their policing areas experienced lower crime rates and that adherence to COVID-19 regulations was satisfactory save for isolated cases.

The offenders of the regulations were charged P5 000 as per the outlined penalties and have duly paid, according to the senior law enforcers.

“So far we have had six cases of churches that violated COVID-19 protocols by allowing over 50 members into their premises.

One of the churches was a repeat offender and we will take it to the magistrate courts if they offend the law for the third time,” Superintendent Paul Seoko of Bobonong Police said.

Supt Seoko further said his office had charged one family for a crowd of over 50 people during a funeral and another for exceeding the 16 people set for ‘patlo’ gatherings.

“Otherwise, the people here are generally compliant with just an insignificant number of people loitering after 10pm,” added Supt Seoko who noted that the people including churches were fully aware of the regulations in place.

For his part, Supt Boipuso Baatweng of Semolale Police noted that  compliance with COVID-19 protocols was generally good in his policing district that covers Semolale, Mabolwe, Gobojango, Motlhabaneng and Lentwelemoriti amongst other places.

Supt Baatweng revealed that his station only registered a single case at a burial in Mabolwe, beginning of June where some men forced their way into the cemetery and in the process obstructing police officers on duty. The said men were duly charged.

Mr Baatweng however, noted with concern a practice whereby people join along the way to the burial site after being asked to go back home since the 50 people restriction had been complied with.

He said his station, upon learning of death of someone in his area, registered the death and continually monitored the attendance numbers until after burial.

In other cases, Supt Baatweng said his station was dealing with a case in which a 42-year-old and seemingly mentally disturbed man of Gobojango was accused of killing his 46-year-old brother.

A friend to the deceased reported the matter to close family members upon finding him with serious head injuries. The relatives subsequently reported the matter to the police who rushed the injured man to Bobonong Primary Hospital where he was certified dead upon arrival, Supt Baatweng narrated.

In another case, an eight-year- old boy of Lentswelemoriti reportedly drowned in Limpopo River.

The boy who went swimming was recovered a kilometer away from the swimming spot by villagers who heeded the call for rescue, revealed Supt Baatweng who said the boy was certified dead at Bobonong Primary Hospital.

In light of the above, Supt Baatweng called on parents to supervise their children and monitor their movements to avoid  drowning at the still flowing Limpopo. In Bobonong area, Supt Seoko expressed worry about defilement cases.

He raised alarm that the cases were on the rise despite their continued efforts of combating the social ill.

However, Mr Seoko on the other hand was happy that their education could be bearing fruits hence people reported cases in good numbers unlike in the past where such cases were swept under the carpet.

He observed that many perpetrators were known to the victims and their families and hence easier for the police to track them down.

From January to May 2020 the station recorded eight cases of defilement while nine were recorded in the same period this year.

Also, Mr Seoko warned against spiraling cases of house break-ins and theft, burglary and theft. ENDS