| Operation Shanela yields success in the Joe Gqabi District | |
|---|---|
| Date Published: | 2025/04/30 |
| Description Details: | |
Media Statement JOE GQABI DISTRICT - The South African Police Service (SAPS) in the Joe Gqabi District has recorded significant successes in crime prevention and detection during the long weekend under Operation Shanela. The operation included coordinated efforts such as roadblocks, high-visibility patrols (both foot and vehicle), stop-and-search operations targeting persons and vehicles, and the monitoring of liquor outlets, spaza shops, and community events. Specialized SAPS units worked alongside provincial and local traffic departments to enforce road traffic compliance and clamp down on drunk driving. Further operational focus areas included the recovery of dangerous weapons, drugs, and illegal firearms, as well as measures to prevent stock theft through intensified patrols along national and farm roads. Larger stations within the district received additional support from specialized units and smaller stations to bolster operational effectiveness. During the operation, 28 traffic fines were issued, amounting to R35,900, while 149 compliance inspections were conducted at liquor outlets and spaza shops, with health practitioners providing support. Roadblocks led to the searching of 842 persons and 568 vehicles. A notable achievement was made by the Khowa (Elliot) Stock Theft and Endangered Species Unit, which acted on credible information on 24 April 2025 and successfully recovered seven stolen cattle in the Ntushuntushu area. The livestock, stolen from Ugie, were positively identified by their registered brand marks and returned to the rightful owner. In Burgersdorp, SAPS members achieved multiple successes in separate cases. Following up on intelligence related to a business burglary, officers arrested a 26-year-old suspect and recovered stolen garden tools valued at R18,000. In another incident, the Crime Prevention Unit arrested a 23-year-old suspect in Mzamomhle after discovering 11 small sachets of tik in a bedroom during a search. Additionally, in Eureka, two suspects were arrested for dealing in dagga in unrelated incidents. The first, a 37-year-old man, was found in possession of 22 containers of dagga in various sizes on his kitchen table. The second suspect attempted to evade arrest when officers noticed him dealing in dagga, but he was apprehended after a search of his shack yielded four plastic bags filled with dagga in different quantities. All arrested suspects appeared in their respective magistrates' courts on 30 April 2025. The Joe Gqabi District Commissioner, Major General Lindelwa Vellem, expressed gratitude to all commanders and members for their unwavering commitment and dedication. She reaffirmed SAPS’s stance against criminal activities, stating: "We will not tolerate crime in this district. Our presence will be felt, and those who engage in unlawful behavior will face the full might of the law." Ends
Enquiries:
X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/SAPoliceService
| |
| Additional content: | |
| Attachments: | |