Operation Shanela sees arrest of over 21 000 suspects

Over 21 000 suspects were reportedly arrested nationally during a police initiative called Operation Shanela, since it was implemented since 8 May 2023.

According to national commissioner of the Saps, General Fannie Masemola the operation, characterised by high-density crime prevention and combating activities, involved the active participation of provincial commissioners and senior management from each province.

With a focus on reducing crime volumes, the operation utilised a five-pillar approach to address emerging crime threats and patterns.

Masemola said that since the inception of Operation Shanela, law enforcement agencies have achieved significant successes, leading to a positive impact on crime rates.

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“The operation primarily targets weekends, when crime is most prevalent and reported. As a result of the intensified operations, a staggering 21 200 suspects have been arrested for various crimes, including murder, rape, malicious damage to property, and drug-related offenses,” he confirmed.

The breakdown of arrests during the operation is as follows:

• 1 126 wanted suspects
• 188 murder suspects
• 219 attempted murder suspects
• 210 rape suspects
• 134 suspects involved in aggravated robberies, such as carjacking, truck hijacking and cash-in-transit robberies
• 729 suspects involved in burglary
• 2,522 suspects involved in assault causing grievous bodily harm
• 1 808 suspects in possession of drugs
• 1 103 suspects involved in common assault
• 1 062 suspects involved in drug dealing
• 861 suspects involved in illegal liquor trading
• 774 suspects for driving under the influence of alcohol
• 846 suspects in possession of dangerous weapons
• 163 suspects in possession of illegal and unlicensed firearms
• 1 425 illegal immigrants

Furthermore, a total of 138 vehicles have been recovered during the reporting period, contributing to the efforts to curb vehicle-related crimes.

Drugs

He confirmed that law enforcement agencies also seized substantial amounts of drugs during Operation Shanela.

The seized drugs include 397 grams of cocaine, 861 grams of crack cocaine, 8 047 grams of crystal meth, 19 533 grams of Nyaope (a street drug in South Africa), 383 642 grams of Mandrax powder and 11 344 Mandrax tablets.

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In addition to the operation’s successes, over the past six months, starting from 1 December 2022 to 5 June 2023, Masemola reported that a total of 120 278 suspects have been arrested for various crimes, with the majority of cases still pending in court.

Gun violence

Addressing the issue of gun violence, the general explained that law enforcement agencies intensified efforts to detect and trace illegal firearms.

“Firearms are found to be the most preferred weapons in the commission of crimes, particularly murder. To ensure the safety and security of communities, 215 151 illegal and unwanted firearms, along with more than 2 million rounds of ammunition, have been destroyed from 2019 to date,” he said.

Additionally, 12 592 firearms confiscated during operations are scheduled for destruction in the current financial year, he added.

Watch the briefing below, courtesy of eNCA:

Gender-based violence

The fight against gender-based violence and femicide remains a priority, the general emphasised. During the past financial year, he confirmed that 17 481 suspects were arrested for gender-based violence and femicide-related cases.

“As a result, 386 life imprisonment sentences were handed down to 230 accused individuals,” he said.

ALSO READ: Gender-based violence: ‘Murder-suicide’ increasing in Limpopo

Moreover, he said that 221 accused received sentences ranging from 20 years and above imprisonment, 421 accused received sentences ranging from 10 to 19 years imprisonment, and 692 accused received sentences ranging from 1 to 9 years imprisonment.

He concluded saying that law enforcement agencies will continue to implement targeted operations to address specific crime challenges in various provinces.

In the Western Cape, the lockdown operation focuses on six priority police stations experiencing high levels of contact crimes, trio crimes and gang-related crimes.