POLOKWANE: The South African Police Service in Limpopo has on Thursday, 30 June 2022 hosted a Provincial Youth Crime Prevention Indaba at Nirvana Hall outside Polokwane.
The event was honoured by The Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, Deputy Provincial Commissioner for Crime Detection, Major General Manala, Deputy Provincial Commissioner for Policing, Major General Jan Scheepers, Mopani District Commissioner, Major General Mashavha, Waterberg District Commissioner, Major General Mangena and Provincial Heads that included Corporate Communication and Media Liaison, Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo, Brigadier Maila and Brigadier Huma amongst others.
Program Directors, Sergeant Shai and Mr Tleane were the facilitators of the Youth Indaba session which was opened with a prayer sermon by Chaplain Thobejane.
In addition, messages of support were rendered by the Junior Provincial Commissioner, Evelyn Mafane, Youth Crime Prevention Chairperson (National Deputy Secretary), Mr Kabelo Machete, National Junior Management Core Chairperson, Sergeant Dibakoane, Provincial Women’s Network Champion, Colonel Maja and Men for Change Chairperson, Lieutenant Colonel Sekgota.
Other external stakeholders who participated in the Youth Indaba consisted of POPCRU, SAPU and Academic Doctor’s (PHD’s) from various Institutions representing the University of Limpopo, Venda, Unisa, Pretoria and Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) under leadership of Professor Kholofelo Rakubu, Head of Faculty of Human Sciences at TUT.
Lieutenant General Hadebe was the speaker of the day who addressed the men and women in blue to execute their duties in adherence to the Code of Conduct of the South African Police Service. “Age gap in the Organization is a worrying factor because it seems there is no succession plan in place. Transforming of race, age and gender should be a key factor to provide service delivery intended to the members of the community at large.” lamented the General.
In addition, General Hadebe further encouraged the Youth to make a positive contribution in the Organization by implementing the strategy to fight corruption among young police members who are supposed to be mentored to take over the reins prior to the ongoing mass exit of the experienced aging personnel and would be pensioners in due course.
Afterwards, Provincial, Capricorn, Waterberg, Vhembe, Sekhukhune and Mopani Districts made presentations about the Organizational structure, Mental health, Financial incentives, Personnel development, Adaptation (Technological innovation, Resources, Corruption and collaboration with other law enforcement agencies including the Department of Justice.
Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe chaired the presentations together with Professor Rakubu whereby inputs and recommendations were jointly discussed by the attendees focusing on the prevalent criminal acts committed through Cyber-crime, Fraud, Corruption, Gender Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) and Domestic Violence (DV), Chaplain Thobejane divinely blessed the closing of the Youth Crime Prevention Indaba with a prayer.
