From Monday 11 November to Sunday 17 November, the South African Police Service (SAPS) made significant strides in combatting crime through its high-density operation, Operation Shanela. A total of 11059 suspects were arrested during this period as part of the SAPS’s ongoing commitment to tackling crime across the country.
During the week, Operation Shanela resulted in the arrest of 2086 wanted suspects, including those wanted for serious and violent crimes such as murder, attempted murder, rape, and robbery. Among those arrested, 125 were wanted for murder, with Gauteng leading the arrests (40), followed by the Western Cape (35) and Eastern Cape (17). Additionally, 115 individuals were arrested for attempted murder, and 191 for rape, with KwaZulu-Natal seeing the highest number of rape-related arrests at 86.
The operation also led to the arrest of 1395 suspects for assault GBH (grievous bodily harm), 329 for dealing in drugs, and 1355 individuals for possession of drugs, primarily in the Western Cape, where 446 arrests were made. A further 128 suspects were arrested for being in illegal possession of firearms, and 1364 illegal foreign nationals were apprehended. The operation also saw 405 arrests for drunk driving.
In terms of confiscations and recoveries, the SAPS achieved notable successes, including the confiscation of 137 firearms and 2003 rounds of ammunition. Moreover, 61 stolen and hijacked vehicles were recovered.
Several major takedowns marked the week’s operations. On 15 November, the Limpopo Provincial Organised Crime Unit arrested 11 individuals linked to extortion at a mine in the Sekhukhune District, where they had threatened to shut the mine unless they received tenders.
In the Northern Cape, an intelligence-driven operation led to the arrest of three suspects for the unlawful possession of rhino horns and protected plants, including items valued at R45400 and rhino horns worth R449000.
In Limpopo, five suspects connected to spiking incidents on the N1 in Bela-Bela were arrested after being identified during an identity parade. Additionally, two Zimbabwean nationals were arrested in Limpopo for possession of illicit cigarettes worth over R1 million, intercepted while attempting to smuggle them into Gauteng.
