Polokwane Mayor John Mpe’s car stolen at shopping complex

Published Jul 7, 2022

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Pretoria – Executive mayor of Polokwane, Mosema Mpe’s vehicle has been stolen from a parking lot at the Thornhill Shopping Complex in Polokwane.

The private vehicle of the city’s number one citizen, a double cab Toyota bakkie, was stolen on Wednesday morning, according to mayoral spokesperson in Polokwane, Thipa Selala.

“A case of car theft has been opened with the police and investigations are ongoing. At the time of the theft, the executive mayor was not on the scene of the crime but in an engagement with international delegation at Peter Mokaba Stadium,” Selala said.

“The parked vehicle was not driven by the executive mayor at the time of theft.”

The Polokwane Municipality has now requested community members to call police if they spot “any suspicious activity or vehicle”

“The municipality requests members of the public to be on alert and report any suspicious activity or vehicle to police at 08600 10111,” Selala said.

“As per the State of the City Address directive, the municipality remains committed to implementing all its flagship programmes on community safety. And those include strategic CCTV cameras and employing more law enforcement personnel on the ground, to continue to protect people and our critical infrastructure within the Polokwane Municipality.”

Selala said the municipality is looking into strengthening partnerships with the private sector “to ensure increased safety for all in their homes and around various shopping centres and malls and all urban and rural public spaces/centres”.

In another case, police in Limpopo have arrested five Gauteng residents between 39 and 60 years old, while they were on their way to rob a farm in Vaalwater, outside Modimolle.

Limpopo police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said the five were arrested during an intelligence-led tactical operation conducted on Tuesday, with assistance of community members and Shambala Welgevonden Reaction Unit.

“The team comprising Modimolle crime intelligence unit, Limpopo highway patrol team, endangered species unit and members of Vaalwater community service centre followed information about a planned robbery that was about to take place at a local farm in Vaalwater,” Mojapelo said.

“The members intensified the operation and spotted the vehicle fitting the description given to them on the Melkrivier Road towards the said farm. The vehicle was stopped and there were five occupants inside.”

During the search, two firearms and house breaking implements were confiscated.

IOL