The Thohoyandou police station in Limpopo has recently been identified as the rape capital of South Africa, with the highest number of reported rapes and sexual offences in the country. This alarming statistic has prompted calls for the province to be declared a gender-based violence disaster zone by the ANC Women’s League.
Despite a decrease in contact crimes overall, Limpopo still recorded 105 cases of murder, assault GBH, rape, robbery, and theft in the fourth quarter of 2024/25. The DA, the second largest political party in the Limpopo provincial legislature, highlighted Thohoyandou’s ranking in the top 30 stations for all contact crimes, with a particularly high incidence of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH), common assault, and common robbery.
Marie Helm, the DA’s provincial spokesperson for transport and community safety, emphasized the need for urgent intervention in Thohoyandou, as the SAPS appears to be losing the battle against crime in the area. She also pointed out that Thohoyandou ranked first nationally for reported sexual offences and rape, highlighting the urgent need for resources and experienced investigating officers.
Tebogo Mamorobela, the provincial deputy speaker for the Limpopo legislature and secretary of the ANC Women’s League, called on Premier Dr. Phophi Ramathuba to declare Limpopo a gender-based violence disaster zone. She expressed concern over the persistent abuse of women and children in the province and stressed the importance of government and community collaboration to address the crisis.
Transport and community safety MEC Violet Mathye echoed these sentiments, stating that there is no place for criminals who prey on defenseless women and children in her government. She emphasized the government’s commitment to fighting crime and ensuring that justice is served for victims like Ndzalamo Mlondobozi, who tragically lost her life to gender-based violence.
In response to the heightened statistics of rape and murder in Thohoyandou, Mathye announced plans to allocate funds for the construction of additional police stations and satellite stations in the Vhembe region. This strategic move aims to increase police presence in the area and ultimately reduce crime rates.
The alarming prevalence of gender-based violence in Limpopo underscores the urgent need for coordinated efforts from government, law enforcement, and communities to combat this crisis and ensure the safety and well-being of all residents.
