16 Limpopo Women Robbed at Gunpoint at Year-End Stokvel Gathering Lose Thousands

• Sixteen women in Musiphana village, Limpopo, were held at gunpoint by three armed men during a year-end stokvel payout
• The robbers stole the main stokvel contributions and searched 11 of the women before firing shots and fleeing in a red sedan
• Limpopo's provincial police commissioner urged stokvel groups to avoid keeping large amounts of cash at home

Sixteen women lost roughly R30,000 in cash and several cellphones when armed robbers stormed their stokvel gathering in Musiphana village, Letsitele, in Limpopo's Mopani District. The attack happened on the morning of Saturday, 7 November 2026, at around 08:00, as the group had gathered to divide their year-end contributions.

Three men forced their way into the homestead where the women were meeting. One wore a balaclava, and two were armed with pistols. The intruders threatened the group at gunpoint, seized the main pool of stokvel funds, and then went further, searching 11 of the women individually. In addition to the central pot, they took extra cash linked to other stokvel groups as well as the victims' cellphones. The suspects fired random shots before making their escape in an unnumbered red sedan, which was driven by an unidentified woman.

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Police open business robbery case

Provincial police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba confirmed that a business robbery case has been opened and that investigators are actively working to trace the suspects, including the getaway driver.

Limpopo Provincial Police Commissioner Lt. Gen. Jan Petrus Scheepers condemned the attack and used it as an opportunity to caution stokvel members across the province. He urged groups to move away from handling large sums of cash at private homes and to explore safer alternatives such as electronic banking channels for transferring and storing contributions.

How to share information with police

Authorities are appealing to anyone with knowledge of the incident or the suspects to come forward. Tips can be shared by contacting Constable Thabiso Makgamatha directly on 076 023 1981, calling the Crime Stop line on 08600 10111, or submitting information through the MySAPS App.

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Source: Briefly News