By Emily Setona
FICKSBURG — A high-impact multidisciplinary law-enforcement operation has tightened festive-season safety measures along major routes in the Thabo Mofutsanyana District.The four-hour roadblock, held on Wednesday, 3 December 2025, along the R26 (Ficksburg–Bethlehem) and R70 (Roodendal) roads under the Setsoto Local Municipality, formed part of intensified Safer Festive Season operations.
The South African Police Service (SAPS), led by Colonel Fouché, was supported by the South African National Defence Force, Border Management Authority and Provincial Traffic Department.
The operation focused on illegal firearms, stock theft, stolen vehicles, undocumented persons and traffic violations. Several unroadworthy vehicles were removed from the road, while a taxi trailer was impounded for failing to comply with the Road Traffic Act. Numerous motorists were fined for a range of offences.
SAPS officials also conducted stop-and-searches on vehicles and pedestrians in an effort to intercept illegal goods and curb criminal activity.
Thabo Mofutsanyana District SAPS spokesperson, Warrant Officer Mmako Mophiring, said the increased visibility and high-density operations are aimed at ensuring safer holidays for the public.
“The rise in roadblocks is meant to deter criminal activities and ensure full compliance with the law, especially in border towns such as Ficksburg where cross-border crimes remain a concern,” Mophiring said.
Motorists expressed support for the operation, urging law-enforcement agencies to sustain such measures throughout the festive season.
Meanwhile, tensions ran high in Ficksburg town as a group of women from Meqheleng staged a picket outside the Ficksburg Magistrate’s Court. They were protesting against a man accused of burning a minor in an alleged attempt to “remove dark spirits”.
The suspect was arrested alongside the child’s mother.
The protesters said their demonstration also aimed to raise awareness about Gender-Based Violence and other social challenges affecting women and children in the community.
