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Police in North West have seized illegal firearms, drugs and other dangerous weapons as part of a joint law enforcement effort.
Picture: South African Police Service
A total of 1 080 alleged criminals were removed from the streets of North West province in one week in the ongoing national crime-fighting programme, Operation Shanela.
The suspects were arrested during weekly joint law enforcement operations between 7 and 14 April.
Their offences included robberies, murders, attempted murders, burglaries, assaults, illegal dealing and possession of drugs, selling of liquor without licences, driving under the influence of liquor and illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
Police also seized illegal contrabands including firearms, drugs, liquor and other dangerous weapons.
Regional South African Police Service (Saps) spokesperson Colonel Adéle Myburgh said almost half of those arrested were wanted suspects.
“[A total of] 538 out of the 1 080 arrested suspects were circulated wanted suspects, after they were positively linked to the committed crimes through forensic DNA leads,” she said.
Also among those arrested were 111 illegal immigrants.
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They were apprehended for being in contravention of section 49 of the Immigration Act and are currently being processed through the courts before the Department of Home Affairs deports them to their countries.
One of the cases that stood out was a tragic love triangle murder that took place on 7 April in Blydeville, Lichtenburg.
A 32-year-old woman allegedly stabbed her 35-year-old boyfriend to death after arriving home to find him in the company of another woman.
“The suspect, Mmadira Catherine Monyane, was arrested and appeared before the Lichtenburg Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, 9 April 2025, charged with murder, where she was granted R500,00 bail. Her case is remanded to Thursday, 29 May 2025,” Myburgh said.
Gender-based violence, including domestic violence, continues to be a serious problem and a cause for serious and violent crimes, she added.
In another incident on 9 April, Saps detectives arrested two suspects after robbing a 20-year-old young woman of her belongings in Bodibe village near Itsoseng.
The suspects, 25-year-old Tebogo Peter Monare and 41-year-old Molefe Samuel Motshabi, allegedly offered the woman a lift while she was waiting for public transport.
“It is alleged that after driving for a few kilometres and not far from her home, the passenger, who was sitting at the back, suddenly threatened the victim with a firearm before robbing her of her handbag and other belongings,” Myburgh said.
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“The victim, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, opened the window and screamed for help, whilst the driver sped off, only to drop the victim far away and unharmed.”
An alert witness noted the make, colour and registration number of the suspects’ vehicle and shared the information with the police who were already in the area.
Monare and Samuel were apprehended and immediately arrested.
They were charged with robbery and have been remanded in custody after their first court appearance before the Ditsobotla Magistrate’s Court.
“They are expected back in court on Tuesday, 22 April 2025.”
Operation Shanela was launched by former Police Minister Bheki Cele in 2023, and consists of regular stop-and-searches, roadblocks, vehicle checkpoints and high visibility patrols.
It also involves the tracing wanted suspects with a focus on murder and rape suspects, compliance inspections at liquor outlets and second-hand goods dealers.
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