Pretoria:The South African Police Service (SAPS) has successfully arrested 24,910 suspects during its ongoing nationwide Safer Festive Season operations and Operation Shanela II over the past 14 days.
According to South African Government News Agency, among those arrested were 2,680 wanted individuals apprehended for various serious and violent crimes across the country. The operations have also included heightened police visibility at voting stations. Notably, two women were arrested in Limpopo for allegedly taking photographs of their marked ballot papers, an act against the Electoral Act.
In KwaZulu-Natal, police have initiated a burglary investigation following the theft of voting materials from an Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) station in Hillcrest. Meanwhile, the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) has achieved a significant breakthrough with the arrest of a 44-year-old hitman linked to the murder of former Knysna Executive Mayor, Aubrey Tsengwa.
In the Eastern Cape, a man was detained for illegal firearm possession. The Free State saw the Mangaung FCS Unit secure a life sentence for a man convicted of rape and kidnapping, alongside a drug interception valued at R1.5 million. Gauteng police arrested two suspects for drug transportation, while in Limpopo, two individuals received life sentences for murder. Mpumalanga reported arrests following a mob justice incident, and in the Northern Cape, a man received three life sentences for rape and murder.
In North West, police arrested additional suspects in connection with a violent farm robbery, and in the Western Cape, police seized mandrax tablets during patrols. These actions underscore SAPS' dedication to dismantling criminal networks and enhancing community safety nationwide.