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SAPS members during Operation Shanela in Northern Cape.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) says it has arrested over 16 000 suspects nationwide, between the 1st and the 7th of this month, during its intensified festive season safety operations.
The suspects were arrested for various crimes including murder, rape, assault and possession of drugs.
More than 1 000 people were taken in for illegal liquor trading, with officers seizing over 25 000 litres of alcohol.
Police also recovered 128 unlicensed firearms.
National Police spokesperson, Vincent Mukhathi says Gauteng recorded the highest number of murder-related arrests.
“One hundred and forty-six suspects were arrested for murder. KZN recorded the highest number of arrests with 46, followed by Western Cape with 22, Mpumalanga 19, and then Eastern Cape 17. One hundred and forty-one suspects were arrested for rape, with the majority of arrests in Gauteng at 30. One hundred and thirty-one suspects were arrested for attempted murder across multiple provinces. One thousand five hundred and eighty suspects arrested for assault Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH). Two thousand nine hundred and seventy-eight suspects arrested for possession of drugs, with the Western Cape recording the highest number of arrests,” says Mukhathi.
#sapsHQ [NATIONWIDE OPERATION SHANELA II SAFER FESTIVE SEASON] The #SAPS remains resolute in #FightingCrime and asserting State authority during the festive season through its intensified nationwide #SaferFestiveSeason Operation, running alongside #OperationShanela II resulted in… pic.twitter.com/81IZR7JW8R
— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) December 9, 2025
