Following a spike in robberies linked to stokvel savings, Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe is urging communities to stay alert and avoid keeping large sums of cash at home.
In the most recent incident, a 55-year-old woman was allegedly robbed of a substantial amount of stokvel money during a house robbery in Nkowankowa Location, Limpopo on Saturday, 6 December 2025.
According to police, the incident occurred at around 04:43 when the woman returned indoors after fetching water. She was confronted by two unknown suspects, one armed, who demanded money.
The suspects forced her into the bedroom, where they took a plastic bag containing stokvel savings along with her cellphone.
“The woman was pushed to the floor and sustained injuries. The suspects fled the scene on foot. No shots were fired,” police confirmed.
Hadebe condemned the attack and reiterated warnings to stokvel groups, noting that robberies tend to increase sharply during the festive season.
All relevant stakeholders attended the scene, and investigations are ongoing.
In another incident, members of the Flora Stokvel in Ext 12, Tsakae, were left devastated after two men allegedly robbed them of R108 000 in cash on Saturday.
According to members, they had just left a house where contributions were counted and were heading toward an e-hailing vehicle to purchase groceries when two armed suspects approached and demanded the bags of money.
Authorities have offered safety tips for stokvels.
Law enforcement agencies are urging stokvel and savings club members to take extra precaution.
Avoid making cash deposits on high-risk days, such as the Monday after month-end.
Ensure that anyone depositing or withdrawing club funds is accompanied by another member.
Consider having members deposit their contributions directly into the club’s bank account rather than bringing cash to meetings.
Arrange for payouts to be made via electronic transfer into each member’s personal account.
Authorities emphasise that these measures can significantly reduce the risk of stokvel-related robberies.
Saturday Star