Johannesburg – A nationwide police operation in South Africa has led to the arrest of 15 763 suspects in just one week, according to the South African Police Service (SAPS).
The arrests were made between 8 and 14 September 2025 under Operation Shanela II, which targeted serious and violent crimes across the country. Among those arrested were 2 133 individuals who had been on the police wanted list.
According to SAPS, 265 suspects were arrested for rape, with 92 previously listed as wanted persons. Gauteng province recorded the highest number of rape-related arrests with 41 suspects detained. Police also took in 160 people for murder, the Western Cape accounting for 41 of these, followed by the Eastern Cape with 32 and Gauteng with 30.
A further 143 suspects were arrested for attempted murder, while 1 610 were taken in for assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. More than 1 000 suspects were arrested for drug dealing during the same period.
Police also recovered 146 unlicensed firearms and 66 stolen or hijacked vehicles. In KwaZulu-Natal’s South Coast, a suspected hijacker was killed in a shootout with police and private security. Officers seized a signal jammer, a stolen Quantum minibus taxi, and an unlicensed firearm at the scene.
In the Western Cape, two high-profile arrests were made. A 26-year-old suspect was detained in connection with a double murder in Wallacedene, Kraaifontein, while a 24-year-old man accused of killing another at the Athlone Magistrates Court was arrested while receiving treatment for gunshot wounds sustained during a gang shootout.
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