Law enforcement working hard at Ga-rankuwa in Tshwane during Operation Shanela photos supplied
By Captain Johan van Dyk
Tshwane District Communication Coordinator
The South African Police Service (SAPS) in Tshwane continued to strengthen its crime-combatting efforts through a high-impact, zero-tolerance operation under Operation Shanela, conducted on Thursday in the Ga-Rankuwa policing precinct.
This operation forms part of SAPS Tshwane’s ongoing strategy to combat crime across the metropolitan area.
It was planned and executed under the command of the District Commissioner of Tshwane, Major-General Samuel Thine, and included members from multiple SAPS units.
The multidisciplinary operation further comprised officials from the Department of Home Affairs, Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD), the Department of Community Safety, and Community Policing Forums (CPFs).
Detectives initiated the operation on Wednesday evening with the tracing of known and wanted suspects.
This resulted in the arrest of 259 individuals for various criminal offences, including five for murder, four for attempted murder, seven for armed robbery, and four for rape, while 86 suspects were linked to gender-based violence-related offences and arrested.
By Thursday morning, three operational teams were assembled, briefed, and deployed to conduct roadblocks, compliance inspections, and crime-prevention duties.
These efforts led to the detention of 46 illegal immigrants, who were handed over to immigration authorities.
One employer was arrested and fined for hiring undocumented persons, and another individual was apprehended for harbouring illegal immigrants.
Additionally, two suspects were arrested for bribery after attempting to persuade officers to release two illegal immigrants.
A total of 639 persons and 377 vehicles were searched during the operation.
Police further conducted targeted patrols at 24 identified hotspots, leading to the arrest of one suspect for possession and dealing in drugs, after officers recovered eight ziplock bags containing CAT and six shopping bags of dagga abandoned in a public area.
Compliance inspections were carried out at 25 liquor outlets, resulting in seven closures due to contraventions of the Liquor Act.
Liquor with a volume totalling 521,930 ml was confiscated.
The Tshwane Metro Police Department played a key role by issuing 71 AARTO infringement notices amounting to R32,150.
District Commissioner Major-General Samuel Thine expressed appreciation to all participating departments and stakeholders for their continued commitment to enhancing public safety in Tshwane.
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