Law enforcement agencies in the Eastern Cape have dealt a significant blow to criminal activity, arresting nearly 1,000 suspects and seizing 20 illegal firearms during an intensive seven-day operation that swept across the province.
Operation Shanela II, conducted from 13-19 October, saw police execute 82,402 actions across the province, including 59 high-density operations targeting crime hotspots.
The operation was carried out in collaboration between SAPS, various government entities, law enforcement agencies, and private security companies.
Major arrests across multiple crime categories
The 978 arrests covered a broad spectrum of criminal activities, with assault cases dominating the statistics:
• Assault GBH: 265 suspects
• Possession of illicit drugs: 195 suspects
• Assault common: 98 suspects
• Drunk driving: 74 suspects
• Dealing in illicit drugs: 41 suspects
• Illegal migrants: 39 suspects
• Burglary in residences: 31 suspects
• Illegal dealing in liquor: 28 suspects
• Murder: 17 suspects
• Burglary in businesses: 16 suspects
• Attempted murder: 15 suspects
Of the 20 illegal firearms confiscated across the province, twelve were recovered in the OR Tambo District, whilst six were seized in the Nelson Mandela District.
Preparing for the festive season
Acting Provincial Commissioner Major General Thandiswa Kupiso praised the operation’s success, noting its strategic timing ahead of the province’s official Safer Festive Season operations launch.
“This was the last week prior to the official launch of the Provincial Safer Festive Season operations, and our foot soldiers performed exceptionally well,” said Kupiso. “We are going to re-double our efforts and ensure that we paint the hot-spot areas blue, with additional reinforcement from other pertinent stakeholders.”
