They say all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, and conversely, police at Mutale had a time to make merry with their families and members of the community.

"It is a time we celebrate our achievements, look at the year behind, the challenges of the past year and also plan for the new year," said a jubilant Capt Azwifarwi Netshivhale, who spoke to Mirror during the function. The police and their families had a full day together and it afforded the ever busy members a chance to rest with their families. This was part of a week-long celebration of National Police Day that has been held countrywide. The celebrations took place at the Tshilamba Town Hall.

Addressing members and their families, the station commissioner of the Mutale police, Supt Nndanganeni Neluonde, said they faced a mammoth task of fighting crime in the area. There was an outcry in the area from members of the community that ritual murder cases were not receiving the seriousness they deserved and that police were not making breakthroughs. In some cases, suspects were left to roam the streets freely after being set free by the courts. Neluonde confirmed that the area was infested with ritual murderers who were making life unbearable for the communities in the area.

Neluonde said police alone will not succeed in bringing the culprits involved in ritual murder cases to justice without the assistance of the community "Let´s fight this age-old scourge with the vigour it deserves. Let everyone be responsible for his neighbour. You live with the perpetrators of these cases and you know them. Please expose them, so that they have nowhere to hide," he said. "Please let us know about any form of criminality in your area and together we will defeat the criminals and our place will become a better place for all to live in," he said. He said they have had successes in many cases and attributed this to the cooperation they received from members of the community and the selfless sacrifices made by police members. "Had it not been for your cooperation in giving us information about crime in your areas, we would not have succeeded. Please continue the good work you are doing for the sake of our communities," he said. He called on all stakeholders to be actively involved in the fight against crime.

Adv Nnyambeni Nekhambele, who is the Director of Public Prosecutions in Thohoyandou, said communities should help fight corruption and fraud. "Let us all stand up and fight this plague that is threatening to drive investors away from our country and thus increase poverty in our already poverty-stricken communities," he said.

He said police should publicize the number so that all members of the public could have easy access to it. He encouraged members of the public to work with the assets forfeiture unit by helping them identify some hidden proceeds of crime so that they could be confiscated, thereby sending a clear message that crime does not pay. H e said the forfeited assets could be sold and the money be given back to the community. "How would you feel if a sentenced criminal goes to prison and he comes back a rich man again. A message should be sent out to the public that crime does not pay," he said. He said anti-corruption desks should be established at all police stations where members of the public could forward their information’s without any fear. He said all stakeholders should be involved in the fight against corruption and fraud.