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Five Arrested After Young Man Dies at Illegal Limpopo Rehabilitation Centre
A community shaken
People in Spitskop Village in Ga-Mamabolo are struggling to come to terms with the death of a 22-year-old man who never made it out of a place he believed would help him. According to police, he died inside an illegally operating rehabilitation centre in the Mopani District, a centre that should never have been open in the first place.
The incident happened on the morning of Monday, 3 November 2025. Five residents escaped from the centre shortly after 10 am. A security officer went after them and managed to track them down. Instead of a safe intervention, what followed was an attack that turned deadly.
Violence behind closed doors
SAPS spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said the escapees were assaulted after being brought back to the facility. They were beaten with a range of objects, leaving them with serious injuries. The 22-year-old victim died on the scene. The four others survived and were rushed to the hospital for treatment.
News of the assault spread quickly in the area. Residents expressed shock that a centre claiming to help people could become a site of violence. Limpopo has seen an increase in informal and unregulated rehabilitation facilities in recent years, but many operate without proper oversight, trained staff, or medical support. Community members often do not realise these places are unauthorised until tragedy strikes.
A coordinated police response
Investigators moved fast. Haenertsburg detectives, along with the Mopani High Patrol and the Mopani Tracking Team, launched an operation on Wednesday, 12 November. Their efforts led to the arrest of five suspects aged between 25 and 35.
Police confirmed that the facility itself was running illegally. This discovery has added a new layer of concern about the safety of vulnerable people sent to such centres.
The suspects are due to appear at the Tzaneen Magistrate’s Court on Friday, 14 November 2025. They face charges of murder and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Police send a warning
Limpopo Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe welcomed the swift arrests and issued a clear warning to anyone operating unregistered rehabilitation centres. She stressed that the law will come down hard on those who endanger people under the guise of offering care.
Police believe more suspects may be involved and say further arrests are expected as the investigation continues. Families in the region are now calling for stronger regulation, hoping that this case will push authorities to clamp down on unauthorised facilities before more lives are lost.
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Source: The Citizen
Featured Image: Rising Sun Newspapers
