On 23 May 2025, the Minister of Police, Senzo Mchunu, released the crime statistics for the fourth quarter of the 2024/2025 financial year. The National Commissioner of the South African Police Service, General Fannie Masemola, lauded Operation Shanela for the reduced number of community reported crimes.
“Our sustained weekly High Density operations through Operation Shanela are yielding positive results in the reduction of certain categories of violent crimes”, said Masemola.
However he did concede that the figures of crimes committed and registered during the period of January to March 2025 remain increasingly high. A total of 5727 murders and 10 688 were recorded in three months.
Masemola said in analysing the numbers before them, SAPS noticed the following trend:
- Murder decreased by 12%
- Sexual Offences increased by 0.0%
- Attempted Murder decreased by 5.8%
- Rape increased by 0.3%
- Trio Crimes decreased by 12.1%
“The above crime picture requires operational reinforcement which is receiving priority focus from the management of the SAPS. And equally a whole of Government and Whole of Society approach. Especially in addressing the scourge of GBVF related crimes”, said Masemola.
THE SUCCESS OF OPERATION SHANELA
Masemola said since the inception of Operation Shanela in May 2023, police have arrested more than 1,2 million suspects nationwide. According to Masemola, the suspects were involved in various crimes ranging from petty crimes to serious violent crime and to more organised crime.
He said more than 468 000 stop and searches were conducted, 274 000 high visibility patrols were organised and a total of 55 775 premises were searched.
An additional 5 007 unlicensed liquor premises were shut down for non- compliance. The operators of the shebeens and taverns did not have valid liquor licenses and therefore operating illegally.
A NUMBERS GAME FOR SAPS
Masemola noted the successes of Operation Shanela between the period of Jan to March 2025, as the following:
1. 178 757 suspects were arrested in total
2. 20 395 Wanted suspects for various crimes including murder, rape, sexual offences, business and house robbery as well as carjacking.
3. 3 589 suspects arrested for murder and attempted murder
4. 3 134 suspects arrested for rape and attempted rape
5. 21 176 suspects arrested for assault GBH
6. 15 034 suspects arrested for being in the country illegally
7. Police arrested total of 6 855 drivers for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
8. 95 suspects were arrested for Human Trafficking
9. SAPS recovered 842 stolen and hijacked vehicles
10. R2,9 million in cash seized for being proceeds of crime
11. Police seized 1293 explosives used in cash-in-transit robberies, ATM bombings and illegal mining operations.
“This paints a picture of migration crime trends, that when police intensify efforts to destabilize and dislodge the work of syndicates involved in serious and violent crimes, criminals move to more sophisticated type of crime to continue with their criminal activities”, Masemola concluded.
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