More than 16 000 people were arrested in just seven days during the nationwide Safer Festive Season campaign under Operation Shanela, which ran from December 29 to yesterday.  

Of the 16 044 arrests made, 1 816 were for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, says Lieutenant Colonel Amanda van Wyk. A further 939 suspects were arrested for illegally dealing in liquor. 

Van Wyk says police removed 30 043 litres of alcohol from circulation, including 12 343 litres in the Eastern Cape alone.  

Among those arrested were 997 people for contravening the Immigration Act, 135 for murder, 181 for rape, 81 for illegal possession of firearms, 50 for possession of explosives, 396 for possession of dangerous weapons, 185 for drug dealing and 87 for aggravated robbery. 

A further 1 888 wanted suspects were traced and arrested for crimes ranging from robberies and hijackings to sexual offences and firearm violations. 

Van Wyk says police also recovered 113 firearms, including handguns, rifles, homemade weapons and shotguns, as well as 1 278 rounds of ammunition and 325 explosives. In addition, 32 hijacked and stolen vehicles were recovered. 

Significant arrests  

Beyond the seven‑day nationwide totals, the festive season crackdown saw a string of high‑profile arrests across several provinces. 

Three suspects linked to the murder and attempted murder of two men near the Athlone Magistrate’s Court in Cape Town on December 3 were arrested on December 28. The arrests were made by the Anti-Gang Unit in Manenberg, Athlone and Mitchell’s Plain. The suspects, aged 28, 36 and 38, face charges of murder, attempted murder, illegal firearm possession and contraventions of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act. They are also linked to a shooting that occurred in 2017.  

On the same day, a 37-year-old man linked to the killing of Sergeant Siyabonga Magadla handed himself over to police in Matatiele in the Eastern Cape. Magadla (35) was off duty when he was fatally shot on December 27 at the suspect’s residence.  

A suspect was arrested on December 30 for a mass shooting in Atteridgeville, Gauteng, which left 12 people dead and 13 wounded. A manhunt continues for two suspects still at large. 

On New Year’s Day, a 55-year-old man linked to a series of rapes and robberies spanning more than 20 years was arrested in Bloemfontein. The crimes took place in Welkom, Thabong and Bloemfontein. He was arrested after a 21-year-old woman was raped in the Magengenene graveyard. Residents chased him down and handed him over to the police. It is alleged that he pretended to be a ‘prophet’ to lure victims into graveyard rituals, where he would then rape and rob them. 

Five suspects between the ages of 25 and 37 were arrested for possession of drugs valued at R10 500 in Sun City in the North West on December 27. Police also confiscated R18 000 in cash, which is believed to be proceeds from the crime.  

In KZN, four suspects aged between 36 and 40 were arrested in Umlazi by the Provincial Tracing Team on December 29. One suspect was charged with murder, rape and house robbery for a 2023 incident in Magugu, St Faiths, where he stabbed a man and raped his companion before fleeing with her phone. Three other suspects were charged with an attempted murder incident that occurred on November 1 in Umlazi. 

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