The South African Police Service (SAPS) arrested over 14 000 suspects during Operation Shanela activities last week and recovered millions of rands worth of explosives as well as over a hundred firearms.
Giving an update on Shanela successes for the week 18 to 24 November, the SAPS said 14 424 suspects were arrested, including 2 795 wanted suspects.
Another 113 suspects were arrested for murder; 89 for attempted murder; 218 for rape; 1 497 for assault; 197 for dealing drugs; 1 698 for possessing drugs; 147 for illegally possessing firearms; and 424 for driving drunk. A total of 1 695 illegal foreign nationals were also arrested.
Under recoveries and confiscations, police confiscated 140 firearms and 1 414 rounds of ammunition. Seventy-nine hijacked and stolen vehicles were also recovered.
Highlights of major takedowns and other successes included the following:
On 20 November 2024, police in Gauteng arrested a security officer for allegedly selling an R5 rifle and ammunition to aama zamas around the West Rand area. Substantial amounts of 7.62 mm, 5.56 mm, .38 Special, 9 mm, and shot ammunition were also discovered at his house in Westonaria.
Police Mpumalanga conducted an intelligence-driven operation comprised of Crime Intelligence, Witbank Tactical Response Team, Middleburg Flying Squad and a Tracking company which led to the arrest of four suspects that were found in possession of 68 suspected stolen bank cards on the N4 Freeway in Belfast. After a lengthy pursuit, the vehicle was cornered on the N4 en route to Mbombela. The suspects were arrested on the spot.
Limpopo police arrested two foreign nationals for being in possession of illegal explosives worth R2 million in the Makhado policing area, Vhembe District. Members of the Vhembe Flying Squad conducted a tactical stop-and-search operation on a vehicle travelling along the N1 South, a few kilometres outside Makhado town, heading towards Polokwane. They discovered four bags in the boot containing Super Power 90 Gel Tubes and arrested the suspects on the scene.
Gauteng police arrested two suspects linked to a mob justice event after four people were badly beaten and shot dead in an open field in Dawn Park. Two others were also discovered with severe injuries and are currently fighting for their lives in hospital. Police investigations are continuing.
Police arrested 54 suspects for illegal mining, the majority in the North West province.
Police in KwaZulu-Natal intensified operations to detect vessels that come into the country carrying illegal items and products that are not authorized to be in South Africa. This comes on the back of raids carried out on four warehouses in the Durban south area of the Bluff, on 20 November. The warehouses were used to store the expired food, mostly of foreign origin.
