SAPS arrest 201 suspects for rape during recent nationwide operations
These arrests were made during operations conducted across South Africa in recent weeks.
The SAPS announced that 201 suspects were arrested for rape during recent operations conducted across the country.
Of these, 56 were wanted individuals apprehended in various provinces, according to a statement published on the SAPS Facebook page on Friday, June 20.
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Among those arrested was a 24-year-old suspect detained by the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit in Tonga on June 19. He is linked to the gang rape of a 27-year-old woman earlier that week. Investigations are ongoing.
In a press briefing in May on crime statistics, acting provincial police commissioner Major General Dr Zeph Mkhwanazi revealed a 14.2% increase in reported sexual offences in Mpumalanga for the period January to March 2025 compared to the same period last year.
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The number of reported cases rose from 899 to 1 027. Rape cases increased by 11.3%, from 752 to 837, while sexual assault cases rose by 25.5%, from 98 to 123. The number of attempted sexual assaults remained unchanged at 45.
