WATCH: Illegal firearm recovered, 201 suspects arrested during Alberton and Katlehong Operation Shanela
Joint law enforcement operations on Alberton’s Heidelberg Road involving SAPS Alberton resulted in traffic fines, vehicle impoundments and multiple arrests as authorities continued efforts to improve safety in the district.
Members of SAPS Alberton conducted roadblocks as part of the Ekurhuleni District’s Weekday Operation Shanela II, led by Ekurhuleni District Commissioner Major General Anna Sithole, brought together members of the South African Police Service , law enforcement agencies and community stakeholders in a coordinated effort to combat crime on Alberton Heidelberg Road and Katlehong North on 18 June.
Addressing the media during the operation, Major General Sithole said the district had deliberately chosen Alberton as one of the operational focus areas after analysing recent crime trends.
“We have two operations running concurrently. One is in Katlehong North and the other is here in Alberton. We realised that, even though there is a decrease in crime, it is still a challenge when crime is reported.
@albertonrecord Members of SAPS Alberton conducted roadblocks as part of the Ekurhuleni District’s Weekday Operation Shanela II, led by Ekurhuleni District Commissioner Major General Anna Sithole, brought together members of the South African Police Service , law enforcement agencies and community stakeholders in a coordinated effort to combat crime on Alberton Heidelberg Road and Katlehong North on 18 June. Full story on albertonrecord.co.za
House robberies, theft of motor vehicles, theft out of motor vehicles, and commercial crimes have increased, and that is why we are here. We know that here in Alberton, we are also having a challenge of substance abuse.
Our responsibility is to detect those who are selling drugs to our communities, as well as those who are dealing.
Although crime in Alberton has shown an overall decrease, Sithole explained that police had identified increases in specific categories, including house robberies, theft of motor vehicles, theft out of motor vehicles and commercial crimes.
The operation was conducted jointly with the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department, Gauteng Traffic Police, Community Policing Forums, private security companies, and other stakeholders to maximise law enforcement resources.
Crime Intelligence members received information from community members regarding houses allegedly used for selling drugs as well as individuals suspected of possessing illegal firearms.
@albertonrecord Joint law enforcement operations on Alberton’s Heidelberg Road involving SAPS Alberton resulted in traffic fines, vehicle impoundments and multiple arrests as authorities continued efforts to improve safety in the district. Full story on albertonrecordrecord.co.za
These pre-operation activities resulted in the arrest of seven suspects, including one for the unlawful possession of a firearm.
Police recovered one illegal firearm during the operation.
Crime intelligence officers also arrested two suspects for dealing in drugs.
At the same time, detectives launched tracing operations to arrest suspects linked to existing criminal cases where warrants or sufficient evidence already existed.
According to Major General Sithole, detectives arrested 201 suspects during the pre-operation phase across the district.
Among these were five suspects arrested for murder, one suspect arrested for attempted murder and two suspects arrested for armed robbery.
Roadblocks were conducted along Heidelberg Road by members from SAPS Alberton and SAPS Katlehong North under the leadership of Major General Sithole.
She was supported by Brigadier Raymond Buthelezi, Brigadier Ngoma and other senior SAPS officers.
During the operation, officers focused on identifying stolen vehicles, enforcing roadworthiness regulations, searching for stolen property and interacting with the media regarding the operation’s preliminary successes.
One of the key outcomes was the detention of 45 suspected undocumented immigrants for verification.
“I am sure we are all aware that currently the country is experiencing challenges with communities organising marches calling for illegal foreigners to leave. We want to assure communities that we, as law enforcement, are committed to ensuring that illegal immigrants are arrested and dealt with according to the law,” Sithole said.
She confirmed that officials from the Department of Home Affairs profiled the detained individuals and that those found to be in the country illegally would be deported to their respective countries of origin.
Traffic law enforcement also produced significant results.
A total of 50 traffic fines, valued at R21 700, were issued during the operation.
Officers impounded 10 minibus taxis (combis) and one sedan after they were found to be unroadworthy.
Alongside enforcement activities, SAPS Social Crime Prevention members and various stakeholders conducted crime awareness campaigns and community engagement programmes to address local crime challenges, educate residents, and strengthen relationships between police and communities.
Major General Sithole praised the dedication shown by SAPS members and all participating stakeholders.
“So far, I applaud the effort shown by our members and all stakeholders participating in this operation. We brought forces from different stations to supplement the deployment of members in the two policing areas. The operation is still ongoing and we remain committed to ensuring safer communities through proactive policing, crime prevention initiatives and the apprehension of offenders,” she said.
The operation forms part of SAPS’ ongoing Operation Shanela programme, which combines intelligence-led policing, high-visibility patrols, roadblocks, detective tracing operations and community engagement to reduce crime and improve public safety across the Ekurhuleni District.
WATCH: SAPS Ekurhuleni District Commissioner leads anti-crime Operation Shanela in Alberton
