Alexandra community witnessed a strong show of force as police rolled out Operation Shanela II, resulting in at least 54 arrests and the closure of four illegal shebeens.

The high-visibility operation, conducted on July 11 under the leadership of Gauteng Provincial Commissioner of Police Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni and senior SAPS management, targeted lawlessness and aimed to restore a greater sense of security in the township.

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Officers set up roadblocks and carried out vehicle searches along Vincent Tshabalala Road near 13th Avenue, while conducting community patrols to assert state authority and tackle crime at its roots.

Mthombeni emphasised the supportive role of the intervention, stating, “We are here to ensure that we give a helping hand to the district commissioner as well as the station commander.”

During the operation, authorities arrested 24 motorists for drinking and driving. Additionally, they arrested 22 undocumented immigrants, along with three suspects for possession of drugs, three for dealing in liquor without a licence, and two for tampering with essential infrastructure.

Four liquor outlets were shut down for violating the Liquor Act. In one notable seizure, police impounded a Toyota Quantum found with a tampered engine number. Mthombeni explained, “We picked up a kombi, which is a Quantum, of which the engine is tampered with. Our vehicle crime investigation unit will further do the probing thereof.”

While acknowledging persistent challenges, Mthombeni noted ongoing issues with serious crimes. “We still have challenges in terms of assault, which give rise to attempted murder. And of course, your car hijackings, house robberies, and business robberies. We are mindful of those statistics; hence, you see, we are here.”

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On the proliferation of unlicensed liquor outlets, the commissioner admitted the limits of personal oversight but stressed structured accountability.

He added that he had issued a directive for every station to maintain a database of licensed outlets and conduct regular compliance checks. Mthombeni further recognised that the rapid growth of non-compliant outlets requires consistent monitoring “to ensure that they remain closed.”

He expressed confidence that sustained efforts would help address these threats effectively.

The Alexandra operation formed part of a wider provincial push. Mthombeni reported that the initiative, which began on July 10 across Gauteng, led to the arrest of 717 wanted suspects, including 138 linked to crimes against women and children.

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