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Through its high-density operations commonly known as Operation Shanela, the South African Police Service (SAPS) arrested 16 718 suspects from the period starting, Monday, 06 January 2025 ending on Sunday, 12 January 2025.

Through Operation Shanela, the SAPS continues to take a bold and decisive approach in dealing with crime in the country. These crime fighting activities include tracking operations, roadblocks, high visibility patrols, stop and searches as well as tracing of wanted suspects.

All Shanela operations are led by the Provincial Commissioner of each province.

Just this week alone, the following arrests were made:

 2 907 wanted suspects were arrested. These suspects were wanted for various serious and violent crimes such as murder, attempted murder, rape, business and house robberies.

122 suspects were arrested for murder, majority of these suspects were arrested in Gauteng (36), followed by Eastern Cape (29);

112 suspects were arrested for attempted murder;

223 suspects were arrested for rape, again KwaZulu-Natal arrested majority of these suspects with 80 arrests; 

1 845 suspects were arrested for assault GBH during this period;

835 drug dealers were arrested in the past week;

2 282 suspects were arrested for being in possession of drugs, majority of these suspects were arrested in Western Cape (1 088);

129 suspects were arrested for being in the illegal possession of firearms, majority of these suspects were arrested in KZN (36);

1 341 illegal foreign nationals were also arrested during this period;

419 drivers were arrested for drunken driving in the past week, majority of arrests in Gauteng (114);

Under recoveries and confiscations, police registered the following successes:

129  firearms were confiscated in the past week; 

1 129 rounds of ammunition were also confiscated;

65 hijacked and stolen vehicles were also recovered during this week’s operations.

Highlights of major takedowns and other successes include the following:

Police in Mpumalanga arrested a 39-year-old man after a shooting incident where eight people were shot and killed outside a tavern in Pienaar on Saturday, 11 January 2025. The team confiscated a pistol and ammunition during his arrest. The suspect is expected to appear in court soon.

Police in Limpopo apprehended eight suspects, including a councillor on allegations of extortion at a construction site along the R555 road in Roossenekal, on 09 January 2025.

A joint operation conducted by Sandringham SAPS, Gauteng Serious Organised Crime Investigation of the Hawks, Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) and a private Security Company led to the arrest of three Ethiopian foreign nationals suspected of trafficking in persons, kidnapping, extortion and contravention of the Immigration Act. The team acted on a tip-off from neighbours about suspicious activities at a house in Sandringham and found 26 Ethiopian nationals who were held captive inside the house. A pistol and one magazine were also seized.

Operation Vala Umgodi task teams continue to record commendable successes in the country. Just last week alone, police arrested 62 suspects for illegal mining, and the majority of these suspects were arrested in the Free State province.

A joint operation by Northern Cape Crime Intelligence, Organised Crime, North West Organised Crime, and Potchefstroom Public Order Police (POP) led to the arrest of a 36 -year-old man suspected of business robbery in Potchefstroom. The team seized a pistol with its serial number filed off. 

Police in Mpumalanga arrested three men who allegedly shot and killed three men in an incident related to taxi conflict in Piet Retief, on 09 January 2025. Four firearms, including a rifle and three pistols with ammunition were seized in the incident. Three suspects are expected to appear in the Piet Retief Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 13 January 2025, and are facing three counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder.

Police will continue with their operations by asserting the authority of the state to ensure the safety and security of all South Africans and visitors to the country.

Issued by South African Police Service