Police, together with other law enforcement agencies, conducted a multidisciplinary Operation Shanela in Kwa-Thema on June 25.

Led by Ekurhuleni District commissioner Major General Anna Sithole, the operation aimed to strengthen law enforcement visibility, combat crime and reinforce the authority of the state in the community.

Sithole led the operation in Kwa-Thema with a parallel operation in Crystal Park led by Brigadier David Ngcobo.

Speaking to African Reporter, Sithole said the operation was part of ongoing efforts to address crime in the area and to assess the effectiveness of previous interventions.

“A few months ago, we were here in Kwa-Thema because of the crime picture. We decided to return to review whether our operational plans are yielding positive results. Our objective remains the same, which is to enforce the law,” said Sithole.

She added that the operation also served as a precursor to policing plans ahead of the upcoming march scheduled for June 30.

According to Sithole, the police intelligence received information from community members about suspected drug-dealing activities in Kwa-Thema.

Acting on the tip-offs, officers arrested six suspects and confiscated drugs, including rock, crystal meth, Mandrax and nyaope during a pre-operation conducted on June 23.

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Sithole shared that the detectives also carried out targeted arrests of suspects linked to various crimes. A total of 135 suspects were arrested across Ekurhuleni, including 82 for contact crimes, 15 for gender-based violence offences and 51 for other serious crimes.

She said that during the June 24 operation in Kwa-Thema and Crystal Park, police arrested 40 undocumented immigrants and issued 37 traffic fines amounting to R14 500.

She added that the law enforcement officials also shut down two illegal liquor outlets and confiscated alcohol found on the premises.

Two additional suspects were arrested for drug-related offences, while one suspect was arrested for illegal gambling. Police also recovered a pellet gun believed to have been used to intimidate victims during criminal activities.

“The arrests indicate that there is a serious challenge in Kwa-Thema relating to substance abuse and drug usage,” said Sithole.

She explained that Operation Shanela strengthens crime-fighting efforts by bringing together resources from different police stations across the district.

She explained that stations do not always have enough resources to cover all areas effectively.

“Operation Shanela allows us to mobilise members from different stations, creating more visibility and increasing our ability to prevent and combat crime,” she said.

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Sithole emphasised the importance of community involvement in crime prevention, urging residents to join community policing forums, neighbourhood watch groups and patrol initiatives.

She added that the SAPS do not have enough resources on their own and that community members can help them by becoming force multipliers in the fight against crime.

Looking ahead, Sithole identified organised crime, car hijackings and gender-based violence as key policing priorities in Kwa-Thema and across Ekurhuleni.

“These are crimes that instil fear in communities and require focused attention from law enforcement agencies,” she concluded.