By Johnathan Paoli
The SA Police Service in Gauteng has highlighted significant progress in reducing crime while detailing preparations for the festive season.
However, despite the efforts, challenges still persisted particularly in the deeply entrenched operations of organised crime networks, said Provincial Commissioner Tommy Mthombeni.
He was presenting the province’s second-quarter crime statistics for 2024/25 to the community safety portfolio committee, stakeholders and the media.
“It gives me great pleasure to announce that this is the second quarter in a row for the current financial year, where our presentation will reflect that our efforts to prevent, investigate and combat crime have resulted in the reduction of our overall crime,” Mthombeni said.
Gauteng has reduced 15 of 17 community-reported serious crimes for the second consecutive quarter.
Overall crime has decreased by 6%, with 6,525 fewer incidents compared to the previous quarter.
Contact crimes including murder, attempted murder and assault declined by 7.6%, though sexual offences, particularly rape and sexual assault, saw an increase.
Property-related crimes dropped by 10.6%, driven by reductions in burglary, vehicle theft and stock theft, while contact-related crimes such as arson and malicious damage to property fell by 10.7%.
However, fraud and shoplifting saw a slight 0.4% increase, raising concerns about economic crimes like commercial fraud.
Mthombeni said that Operation Shanela yielded 22,243 arrests during the quarter, including 69 arrests for murder, 102 for robbery with aggravating circumstances, 3251 drug-related arrests and 294 for illegal possession of firearms.
Seizures included 238 firearms, over 3400 rounds of ammunition, 138 stolen vehicles, 173 tons of drugs and 487,000 counterfeit goods.
Family Violence, Child Protection, and Sexual Offences units reported 1,031 arrests for sexual offences, securing 130 convictions.
Among these was the sentencing of Nkosinathi Phakathi, the “Benoni Serial Rapist”, to 42 life terms and 791 years in prison for 148 charges, including 90 counts of rape.
The commissioner said police had launched the National Safer Festive Season Operations on 11 October, intensifying crime-prevention efforts.
Measures include increased police visibility through roadblocks, vehicle checkpoints, and stop-and-search operations, as well as the deployment of newly trained constables in December to bolster patrols at shopping centres, transport hubs and public areas.
Additionally, he said SAPS intended to collaborate with law enforcement agencies, community policing forums and businesses to secure year-end events.
The province recently added 209 vehicles to its fleet, enhancing operational readiness, with Mthombeni assuring the public that the SAPS was prepared for the festive season.
Despite successes, he said challenges remained, with commercial fraud accounting for 12.4% of serious crimes, threatening Gauteng’s economic stability.
He said the police was working with the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation and stakeholders to raise awareness of scams, including those related to online shopping and fraudulent job offers.
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