30 Oktober 2025 - 5 November 2025
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Yaël Malgas
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Members of the Paarl Public Order Policing Unit demonstrated their skills in de-escalating hostile “protesters”. Photos: Yaël Malgas
Police hone in on festive season
s the festive season draws closer provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant General Adv Thembisile Patekile, warned residents of Khayamandi to take heed when it comes to finances, especially when stokvels pay out.
or keep it in your home. Others know exactly how much cash you have.” Robberies and cash-in-transit heist are especially a problem in the Cape Winelands, Patekile said.
Patekile visited Stellenbosch for the launch of the provincial police’s Safer Festive Season Operations launch last Thursday (23 October). Officers from all 23 stations in the Cape Winelands police cluster gathered at the Khayamandi Sports Ground, where residents were promised “boots on the ground” this holiday season. According to Patekile extortion and kidnapping is expected to be on the rise as “those who don’t have money, are looking to get money”. He had a stern warning for those looking to rob and cheat residents out of their hard earned cash. “We know many of you are getting your stokvel payments and buying things to take home before you travel, so don’t make yourself a target,” Patekile warned. “Be sure to deposit your monies in the bank and don’t walk around with cash
ON THE RISE There has also been a general rise in extortion in Khayamandi with two brothers allegedly gunned down earlier this year for refusing to pay (“Teens arrested after double murder in Khayamandi”, Eikestadnuus, 11 July). In Stellenbosch kidnappings have become a serious concern (“Owner ‘booted’ after carjacking”, 11 September and “Stellenbosch students escape alleged kidnapping”, 17 October). Police, in partnership with other law enforcement agencies, will focus on 10 crime prevention measures as part of the season’s operations. Major General Luyanda Damoyi, deputy provincial police commissioner, said gender-based violence, robberies and cash-in-transit heists, road safety, illegal liquor, goods and firearms, extortion and kidnapping, tourism safety, event safety, adherence
to bylaws, and security, especially along major routes will be on the radar. Part of the launch programme included messages of support from safety role-players like Billy Laubscher of Business Against Crime Western Cape (BACWC) and Sebastian Abrahams of the Cape Winelands Community Policing Forum (CPF). Laubscher thanked the law enforcement officers for looking after the public while sacrificing family time over the festive season. SKILLS ON DISPLAY Spiritual leaders from Stellenbosch also took the opportunity to pray over Patekile and his members who were on parade at the launch. The K9 Unit showed off their drug finding skills and officers of the Paarl Public Order Policing Unit showed how they de-escalate hostile crowds during protest action, with a dramatic demonstration. Cape Winelands district commissioner General Miriam Mocholog urged Stellenbosch residents to look after one another and report suspicious activities.
Cape Winelands district police commissioner General Miriam Mocholog urged residents to work with police to help make the festive season a safer one.