Operation Shanela: Police arrest more than 14 000 suspects in one week

Police in South Africa have arrested 14 157 suspects for various crimes including murder and rape across several provinces in just one week.

The suspects were arrested during the police’s high-density operations commonly known as Operation Shanella from last week Monday until Sunday.

Police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said the South African Police Service (SAPS) will continue to “stamp the authority of the state” through heightened police visibility and working closely with key stakeholders and the community in the fight against crime.

Crimes across SA

“Just this week alone, police conducted more than 250 roadblocks throughout the country. Tracing operations, stop and searches as well as patrols and hostel searches were also conducted.”

Mathe said officers made thousands of arrests and confiscated hundreds of firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition.

“Just this week alone, 4 783 wanted suspects for crimes such as murder, rape, possession of illegal firearms and business robberies were arrested; 159 suspects were arrested for murder  and 94 suspects were arrested for attempted murder

“271 suspects were arrested for rape, 121 of them were arrested in KZN (KwaZulu-Natal).  This is the second consecutive week that KZN police register the majority of arrests in relation to rape cases. Last week, KZN recorded 80 arrests out of the 182 suspects that were arrested through countrywide operations,” Mathe said.

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Illegal immigrants, liquor and guns

Mathe added that 98 suspects were also arrested for being in the illegal possession of firearms, 24 were arrested in KZN and 22 were arrested in the Western Cape.

“Assault GBH continues to register a large number of arrests with 1254 suspects arrested; 458 suspects were arrested for the illegal dealing in liquor, 155 of these arrests were effected in KZN while Mpumalanga recorded 113 arrests.”

Mathe said 334 drug dealers were arrested during this period including 104 in the Western Cape and 64 in the Free State

“1 002 illegal immigrants were arrested. 280 of them were arrested in Gauteng while 172 were arrested in KZN.”

Other police operations

Mathe also shared the success of other police operations including the rescue of a Portuguese businessman in Lenasia and a shootout with a cash-in-transit suspect.

“He was kidnapped in July outside his business premises. A Zimbabwean woman who is undocumented has been arrested in connection with his kidnapping.”

“Eight suspected cash-in-transit robbers were fatally wounded during a confrontation with police in Khayelitsha, Cape Town. Seven AK47 rifles were found in their possession,” Mathe said.

Mathe added the Hawks in the North West also arrested seven suspects in Rustenburg and Brits for the alleged theft of precious metals worth R350 million.

The arrest follows information received about the theft of suspected platinum group material at a mine in Rustenburg.

Operation Shanela

Mathe said police will continue with their weekly operations to rid communities of crime.

“Communities are urged to work together with the police by joining their local Community Police Forum (CPF) at their local police station. Through CPF structures, SAPS is able to jointly solve crime problems with the assistance of our communities,” Mathe said.

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