MBOMBELA – Great strides were made in fighting crime last week when more than 180 suspects were arrested by a joint force of local police and detectives attending a family violence, child protection and sexual offences (FCS) conference in the province.
According to Lt Gen Solomon Makgale, the operation netted 188 suspects in connection with assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, common assault, housebreaking, and unlawful possession of firearms and drugs.
“I’m particularly proud of the hard work put in by everyone. It shows we can achieve a lot when we work together.
The next step is to ensure successful prosecutions,” said conference convener and head of the FCS unit, Maj Gen Yvonne Botsheleng.
She added that officers from various SAPS units such as visible policing, the detective service, particularly the FCS units, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations (Hawks), SAPS women’s network and men for change structures and Community Policing Forums were currently joining hands in raising awareness but more importantly, apprehending suspects.
“The planned activities and operations are based on crime information and analysis, as well as factors contributing to crimes.”
Similar operations are taking place throughout the country and will continue as part of celebrating Women’s Month. They will comprise a variety of crime-prevention activities and other programmes under the “Celebrating 60 years of the Women’s Charter” and “20 years of Democracy: Moving Women’s Agenda Forward” banners. Adding that specific focus during these campaigns will also be on mobilising partnerships that will remain in place after Women’s Month and the 16 Days of Activism Campaigns, to work with the SAPS to eradicate gender-based violence and crimes against specific vulnerable groups.
Nationally, the following activities are being implemented: a national dialogue between the SAPS and civil-society organisations that provide services to victims of gender-based violence and violence against children will be convened in Gauteng; intensified operational focus on arrests of wanted suspects for crimes against women and children in particular; witchcraft-related violence and killings; outstanding warrants of arrest for maintenance orders; and suspects linked to more than one case by DNA or fingerprint analysis.
