Gauteng Police Nab 770 Fugitives in Weekend Operation Shanela Crackdown

Gauteng’s Weekend Crime Sweep: 770 Fugitives Caught in Bold Police Push

Operation Shanela is back in the headlines and this time, Gauteng police say they’ve hauled in 770 fugitives in just one weekend. The blitz, dubbed Operation Shanela 2, unfolded between Friday and Sunday across all five districts in the province.

What makes this round different is not just the numbers, but the momentum. Locals have grown used to weekend crime sprees hijackings, assaults, tavern violence, but this time, the police went hunting for suspects who’ve been dodging the system.

Led from the Front

The operation was headed by Major General Mbuso Khumalo, Gauteng’s deputy provincial commissioner for crime detection, who is currently also acting in the policing role. The sweep focused on suspects linked to some of the most violent crimes in the country:

• Murder

• Attempted murder

• Robbery

• Rape

• Sexual assault

• Assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm

The numbers show where crime is clustering:

• Tshwane topped the list with 255 arrests

• Johannesburg followed with 196

• Ekurhuleni recorded 137

• Sedibeng and the West Rand together accounted for 186

And it didn’t stop there. Another 265 people were arrested at liquor outlets, roadblocks, and during stop-and-search patrols.

Why This Matters Now

South Africans often complain that police “know” who the criminals are but don’t fetch them. This weekend sweep was the opposite, proactive, targeted, and loud. On social media, reactions were mixed:

• Some applauded the crackdown, saying “at least they’re doing something.”

• Others pointed out that arrests mean little if convictions don’t follow.

• A few questioned why suspects were “on the run” to begin with if warrants existed.

But the scale is hard to ignore. The operation forms part of the SAPS’s national visibility strategy, where teams flood hotspots, check tavern compliance, stop suspicious vehicles and pounce on known fugitives.

Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo said the numbers prove coordinated policing is starting to pay off.

Not an Isolated Effort

This isn’t a once-off sting. Just last month, a separate push under Operation Shanela saw 1,567 arrests across Gauteng over one weekend, 1,378 of them wanted for violent crimes, according to Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi.

That earlier operation also put a spotlight on gender-based violence, which remains a major concern in townships and suburbs alike. Combined, the two recent crackdowns suggest SAPS is trying to reposition itself as more than reactionary.

Will It Shift the Needle?

A recurring question from communities is whether these arrests translate to meaningful change especially when many suspects get bail or cases collapse due to shoddy investigations.

But others point out something more practical: visibility alone is a deterrent. When police roadblocks return, illegal guns move around less. When taverns know they’ll be checked, compliance improves. And when fugitives realise the net is tightening, some stop roaming freely in public.

For now, all arrested suspects are expected to appear in magistrates’ courts across the province soon.

Operation Shanela may not solve Gauteng crime overnight, but residents are watching closely to see if these mass arrests finally lead to convictions and safer streets.

{Source: IOL}

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