The festive season is swiftly approaching and we are all excited to be still alive to anticipate this special time of the year.

Each and every one of us has good plans for a time such as this and we always make it a point that our arrangements for this season are in place way in advance.

As the station commander of the Makhado SAPS, I would like to say that the year 2014 has brought a lot of challenges with it in our policing area and environment. There has been an unexpected upward trend with regard to violent criminal activities in our nation in general, but also in particular in our own policing area.

Nevertheless, we are capable of achieving our mandate to safeguard all and sundry within the borders of our rainbow nation.

On that note, our mandate is clear at all times: To create a safe and secure environment for all people in South Africa. In pursuance of the fulfilment of this great mandate, we as the Makhado SAPS will always maintain the highest standards of integrity, respect diversity, be obedient to the Constitution and the law, serve with excellence and strive to earn public approval. We are highly motivated by the national commissioner’s community outreach programme, which enables our people to be an integral part of the crime fighting mechanism of this country. 

Furthermore, it is during this period of the year when most fatal accidents occur on our public roads. As such I would like to urge our people to be obedient to the laws of our land wherever they may be. Let us conduct ourselves in such a way that we will arrive alive at our different destinations by refraining from alcohol consumption while driving. Let us also take care of ourselves when we do our shopping in the towns. We should always be vigilant for crooks who impersonate police officials in order to rob us.

Our homes have to be safe and secure at all times. The elderly and  little children are vulnerable, but we must always strive to keep them safe in our homes. The acutely disabled cannot be left out of this equation. They need our help, depending on the degree of their disability, which in turn determines their level of vulnerability.

Let us all enjoy this festive season in harmony and in the spirit of ubuntu in the company of our families, loved ones and friends. May we all have a merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

I thank you all.

- Col Francis Ramovha (station commander, Makhado SAPS)