Ongoing police operations have led to the arrest of 13 633 suspects, including those involved in gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) related crimes in the past week, said the South African Police Service (SAPS).
As part of a 90-day blitz to combat GBVF, police continue to intensify their fight against GBVF related crimes through investigation and numerous tracing operations, which resulted in the arrest of 256 rape suspects and seven suspects for attempted rape in the past week.
In statement on Monday, the SAPS said the majority of the suspects were arrested in KwaZulu-Natal.
Among the arrests was a 50-year-old man in the Cape Town suburb of Brackenfell on multiple charges of sexual exploitation, grooming and facilitating the creation of child pornography. The Free State Serial and Electronic Crime Investigations (SECI) Unit traced the suspect to the Western Cape following an extensive investigation into cyber sexual offences against minors.
“As South Africa observes Child Protection Week, the SAPS remains committed and dedicated to protecting children’s rights and ensuring justice for victims of sexual crimes. [The] Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) unit secured harsher sentences against perpetrators of GBVF who committed crimes against the vulnerable groups, especially children,” said the police.
Recently, a father of three has been sentenced to a life term imprisonment after he was found guilty of sexually assaulting his children, aged between 3 and 13 years.
The conviction comes after the children’s mother reported the case to the SAPS Benoni on 4 August 2021. The Benoni Regional Court found the father guilty on multiple charges, including rape, sexual assault, compelling or causing a minor act of self-masturbation and exposing their genitals.
Furthermore, on 26 May 2025, the Edenburg Regional Court sentenced a 47-year-old pastor to two life term imprisonment after finding him guilty of raping a 12-year-old girl.
Through high visibility patrols, stop and searches and the tracing of wanted suspects, police are hard at work in stamping the authority of the state.
The SAPS also effected the following arrests across the country through Operation Shanela from 26 May to 01 June 2025:
• A total 2 214 wanted suspects were arrested for various serious and violent crimes such as murder, attempted murder, rape, business and house robberies.
• A total 179 suspects were arrested for murder, majority of these suspects were arrested in KwaZulu-Natal (52), followed by Gauteng (39).
• 108 suspects were arrested for attempted murder.
• 1 731 suspects were arrested for assault grievous bodily harm (GBH) during this period.
• 201 drug dealers were arrested in the past week.
• 1 430 suspects were arrested for being in possession of drugs, majority of these suspects were arrested in Western Cape (712).
• 101 suspects were arrested for being in the illegal possession of firearms, majority of these suspects were arrested in the Western Cape (26), followed by KwaZulu-Natal (25).
• Twelve suspects were also arrested for human trafficking during this period.
• 472 drivers were arrested for drunken driving in the past week, majority of arrests in the Western Cape (103), followed by the Eastern Cape (77)
Under recoveries and confiscations, police registered the following successes:
• 142 firearms were confiscated in the past week.
• 8 999 rounds of ammunition were also confiscated.
• 68 hijacked and stolen vehicles were also recovered during this week’s operations.
Highlights of major takedowns and other successes include the following:
• The National Counterfeit Unit, the National Roving Team (TRT), Burgersfort SAPS, and Customs SARS raided more than 10 shops in Burgersfort and seized counterfeit goods worth more than R20 million.
• North West police arrested 22 undocumented foreign nationals and seized a large quantity of food items destined for illegal miners at a farm situated between Klerksdorp and Ventersdrop.
“Police will continue with their operations by asserting the authority of the state to ensure the safety and security of all South Africans and visitors to the country,” the police said. – SAnews.gov.za
