Operation Shanela: KZN leads in arrests for murder and rape
KwaZulu-Natal has emerged as the province with the highest number of murder and rape arrests during the latest phase of Operation Shanela, as police intensify efforts to combat crime ahead of the festive season.
Image: Ayanda Ndamane / Independent Newspapers
KwaZulu-Natal has recorded the highest number of murder and rape arrests in the country during the latest week of Operation Shanela - police nationwide arrested more than 17 000 suspects and confiscated 179 unlicensed firearms.
According to a national police, the province topped the list in two major crime categories, with 40 murder suspects and 119 rape suspects arrested in the period between between October 13 and 19.
KZN also recorded 418 arrests for possession of drugs, the highest among all provinces, followed by Gauteng with 308.
Police said the latest results were achieved through “intelligence-led takedowns, high-visibility patrols, and strategic interventions across multiple provinces.”
The national operation, which is part of ongoing crime-fighting efforts ahead of the festive season, resulted in the arrest of 17 223 suspects across South Africa, including 2 124 most wanted individuals linked to serious crimes such as murder, rape, hijacking, and armed robbery.
In KZN, the week’s major incidents included three shootouts with police. In Cato Manor, a 20-year-old suspect wanted for murder and multiple house and business robberies was shot dead during a confrontation with officers on October 16. Police recovered a firearm and ammunition at the scene.
Two suspected armed robbers were also shot and killed in a separate takedown operation by the police in the Waterfall in the Upper Highway area of Durban on October 14.
Nationally, police recorded several other significant recoveries and arrests. In Gauteng, a suspected illegal miner was arrested in Magaliesburg for possession of two AK-47 rifles and ammunition, while 15 tons of gold-bearing material were seized. The province’s Counterfeit Unit, in collaboration with brand protectors, confiscated 58 240 illicit items valued at more than R8.3 million.
In the Western Cape, Anti-Gang Unit members arrested an Algerian national in Langebaan after discovering a cache of firearms, including five rifles and multiple handguns.
In Limpopo, two suspects were killed in a shootout with police in Bolobedu, and two firearms were seized.
Police reported that during the same period, 1 275 rounds of ammunition were seized, along with contraband worth more than R7.2 million.
Additionally, 25 169 litres of alcohol and 74 stolen vehicles ranging from sedans to trucks and motorcycles were confiscated.
National police commissioner General Fannie Masemola said the results send a clear message to criminals ahead of the festive season. “These arrests send a stark warning to prospective criminals: do not even consider engaging in any form of criminal activity. As the festive season rapidly approaches, these operations will be conducted with intensified force and precision,” he said.