By Akani Nkuna
National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola says SAPS festive season operations led to the arrest of 236 887 suspects, including 32 318 wanted for other crimes, underscoring what he described as sustained and intensive efforts to clamp down on criminality.
Masemola said between 15 October and 31 January, police conducted 7 726 high-density operations nationwide, searching 116 343 premises, setting up 4 854 roadblocks, and carrying out 673 235 high-visibility patrols.
During the same period, police inspected 106 715 liquor outlets, resulting in the closure of 7 682 unlicensed premises across the country.
The operations formed part of intensified crime-prevention measures aimed at improving public safety during the peak festive period.
“The majority of those arrested during this festive period were for possession of drugs, bringing the total number of arrests for drug possession to 33 397 suspects. A further 4 281 drug dealers were also arrested,” Masemola said.
Police also arrested 15 075 suspects for drunken driving, with the operations conducted in collaboration with metro police departments as well as provincial and national traffic authorities.
Masemola was briefing the media in Hatfield, Pretoria, on Friday, 6 February, where he outlined the outcomes of SAPS’ Safer Festive Season Operations and addressed matters relating to the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, which is investigating allegations of criminality, political interference and corruption within South Africa’s criminal justice system.
He said police seized more than 2 000 firearms during the operations, including 753 in KwaZulu-Natal, 607 in the Western Cape, 343 in the Eastern Cape, and 264 in Gauteng, with the remaining firearms recovered in other provinces.
Masemola also welcomed the conviction of 2 738 accused persons, including 199 sentenced to life imprisonment, 15 sentenced to 40 years, and 29 sentenced to 30 years or more, describing the outcomes as a significant milestone for the criminal justice system that complemented SAPS’ work on the ground.
A further 237 accused persons were sentenced to 20 years or more, 910 received sentences of 10 years or more, while 1 348 were sentenced to between five and nine years’ imprisonment, he added.
The commissioner reiterated his commitment to law and order within SAPS, confirming that he had established a task team of senior managers mandated to monitor investigations by both the Madlanga Commission and Parliament’s ad hoc committee probing allegations of corruption and interference within the police service.
The team will be supported by the National Prosecuting Authority.
He said the names of implicated officials and the alleged transgressions had been noted, with two senior officers suspended following internal investigations.
Masemola also welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s directive to establish an external investigative team, saying the processes should complement each other.
“Following a directive from His Excellency President Ramaphosa, we have established a team to investigate those implicated in the Madlanga Commission. It is important to note that some of these matters were already being investigated by the Political Killings Task Team, organised crime units, and serious and violent crime teams,” Masemola said.
He added that the team comprises experienced and specialised detectives, forensic experts, crime intelligence analysts, operatives and combat-trained members.
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