Operation Shanela Yields 15,372 Arrests in Under a Week

(The Post News)- About 15,372 arrests took place in just under a week as the South African Police Service’s Operation Shanela was underway between June 16-25, 2025. The operation exposed a series of serious and violent crimes that took place throughout parts of South Africa. The operation was initiated as a measure to curb and prevent crime across the country.

Operation Shanela incorporated a series of proactive policing tactics, including stop and search initiatives, intelligence-led suspect tracing, roadblocks, and high-visibility patrols. The operation served as a joint force between over 20 police stations from Johannesburg, including Home Affairs, the SAPS K-9 unit, the JMPD, Gauteng Traffic wardens, private security companies, Norwood CPF, and more.

Over the course of the operation, authorities confiscated over 2,300 rounds of ammunition and about 115 firearms. The various arrests are in connection with serious crimes such as murder, rape, attempted murder, business robberies, and house robberies. In more specific areas, about 86 individuals were arrested for attempted murder, 100 for rape (with Gauteng claiming the lead at 25 arrests), 1,173 for assault, 67 for illegal firearm possession, 14 for human trafficking, 1,140 for driving under the influence, 235 for drug dealing, and 1,328 for being illegal foreign nationals.

The number of individuals driving under the influence includes 225 individuals in Mpumalanga, 411 in KwaZulu-Natal, 195 in the Western Cape, and 144 in Gauteng. In addition, a number of 2,400 individuals arrested under Operation Shanela were wanted criminals in connection with several serious crimes. Over 150 individuals suspected of murder were also apprehended during the operation, with some of the arrests coming from Gauteng and some from the Western Cape.

According to reports, amid Operation Shanela, a number of unlicensed liquor outlets were forced to shut down in Cosmo City in Northern Johannesburg, and another outlet had liquor worth over R5,700 confiscated by authorities during a raid. All this happened while several bags of narcotics were discovered abandoned at a park nearby Waverley. In addition, a business trading in second-hand goods was immediately closed for operations for not complying with regulations.

It was also reported that routine checks were conducted on over 100 vehicles and over 300 individuals.