Police net more than 300 suspects during Operation Shanela

On Saturday, January 4, 2025, multiple law enforcement agencies in the Tshwane district joined forces in the continued fight against crime through Operation Shanela in the Temba and Hammanskraal SAPS policing areas.

The operation, co-ordinated and led by Maj Ten Samuel Thine, the district commissioner of Tshwane, was conducted in collaboration with various stakeholders and resulted in the apprehension of 308 suspects for a range of offences.

The objectives of the operation included tracing wanted suspects, conducting visible patrols with additional police deployments, and enforcing compliance with liquor licensing regulations.

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Tshwane detectives arrested 246 suspects for serious offences, which included 88 arrests for gender-based violence, one for murder, four for attempted murder, one for armed robbery, and four for rape.

Additionally, 23 undocumented individuals were detained and are awaiting legal proceedings for deportation.

As part of the operation, law enforcement officers searched 2, 296 individuals and 1, 087 vehicles. This led to the arrest of 14 individuals for driving under the influence of alcohol.

Searches of 25 identified premises and hotspots resulted in the arrest and fining of 14 individuals for drinking in public.

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Furthermore, 25 liquor establishments were inspected, with eight being closed due to non-compliance with the Liquor Act. A total of 952, 575 milliliters of liquor was confiscated. One arrest was made for failure to display the licence.

Maj Gen Thine extended his gratitude to all stakeholders for their continued support and commitment to ensuring the success of operations aimed at safeguarding the Tshwane community.