Overview
- The high‑density sweep that ran from 17 to 19 April led to more than 2,000 arrests in Gauteng and Mpumalanga, with Northern Cape operations for the week ending 19 April adding 567 more.
- Gauteng recorded 1,031 arrests, including 724 wanted suspects for serious and violent crimes, while visible‑policing teams booked people for drunk driving, drug offences, unlicensed liquor sales and immigration violations.
- Mpumalanga reported 1,175 arrests over the same weekend and recovered 28 unlicensed firearms, 58 rounds of ammunition, counterfeit goods worth about R283,000 and 24 vehicles suspected to be stolen or hijacked.
- Northern Cape teams working under Safer Easter Operation Paseka alongside Operation Shanela II made 567 arrests between 13 and 19 April and seized alcohol, drugs, weapons, ammunition, cash, cellphones and copper cables.
- Officials say Operation Shanela uses joint teams from SAPS, metro police, traffic, Home Affairs, community forums and private security, with suspects moving through magistrates’ courts and seized firearms sent for ballistic tests.