A Limpopo police officer is facing serious criminal charges after allegedly driving under the influence and fatally striking an eight-year-old boy with a state vehicle in Mogaung village on Friday evening, 8 August 2025.
The 36-year-old constable, stationed at Motetema Police Station, has been arrested for culpable homicide and drunk driving, following the horrific incident in the Hlogotlou policing area, Sekhukhune District. According to authorities, the officer was en route to Motetema when he hit the young boy, who tragically died at the scene.
Provincial police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba confirmed that preliminary investigations revealed the officer was intoxicated at the time of the crash. The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) is now handling the case, which has sparked widespread anger and renewed calls for stricter oversight of law enforcement.
The constable appeared in the Nebo Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 11 August 2025.
Limpopo Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Thembi Hadebe strongly condemned the officer’s actions, calling the incident “a disgrace to the uniform” and emphasizing the need for SAPS members to uphold the Code of Ethics without exception.
The community of Mogaung is mourning the senseless loss of a young life — and demanding justice. What was meant to be a symbol of protection became a vehicle of tragedy. Now, the justice system must answer the question: how could one of their own so catastrophically fail the people they swore to serve?
