South Africans in general have raised concern about the increased crime rate in the country.
At the same time, SAPS has been taking criminals head-on, leaving a number of them seriously injured or dead.
Recently, a number of criminals were halted while on their way to allegedly commit heinous crimes such as murder, kidnapping, cash-in-transit and more.
The deadly response has been criticised by some people, who have accused police of intentionally killing criminals. But, police said they had heeded the call by citizens who were tired of being victims of crime.
There were 393 deaths due to police action during the 2022/23 financial year. KZN had the highest number with 115, followed by Gauteng with 108.
This week, Police Minister, Senzo Mchunu, said combating murder, drugs, kidnapping and extortion was their priority.
Mchunu said they were also paying attention to the high number of undocumented illegal foreigners involved in crime.
He said sometimes when you followed a case of kidnapping, such as the one of 90 Ethiopian nationals who were rescued by SAPS recently, all of them were undocumented. The minister added that police followed up drug busts, undocumented suspects were caught most of the time.
Mchunu said another issue on which police acted were the 95 Libyan nationals who were nabbed in Mpumalanga at a suspected illegal military camp.
”What was happening inside the camp was illegal,” Mchunu said.
At a media briefing of ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) this week, Mchunu said the party welcomed recent developments where officers unleashed deadly force against criminals.
“Police officers are human beings with their own families. Criminals are shooting to kill, police must defend themselves and the community,” Mchunu said.
The SAPS National Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola, in an interview with the SABC said that police were operating within the law. He also defended the statement that police were “trigger happy”.
“If criminals pull out guns to police they (must expect) to face to be met with force out. When police arrest criminals, they are often found with a number of firearms,” said Masemola.
According to Criminal Procedure Act No. 51 of 1977, Section 49(2), “Deadly force can be used on reasonable grounds only if a suspect poses a threat of serious violence, committed or threatened infliction of serious bodily harm and (there are) no other reasonable means of effecting the arrest.”
Police have through their high density operations commonly known as Operation Shanela arrested 13 996 suspects during the period starting, Monday July 28 and ending August 04, 2024.
SAPS national spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, said trough detectives and crime intelligence tracing operations, roadblocks as well as stop and searches, police took a bold and decisive approach in protecting the communities that they serve.
All Shanela operations are led by the Provincial Commissioner of each province.
This week alone, the following arrests were made: 4 065 wanted suspects for crimes such as murder, rape, possession of illegal firearms and business robberies; 106 suspects were arrested for alleged murder; 150 suspects were arrested for alleged attempted murder; 182 suspects were arrested for alleged rape with 80 of them being arrested in the province of KwaZulu Natal; 134 suspects were arrested for being in the illegal possession of firearms, 66 of them were arrested in the Eastern Cape.
Assault GBH continues to register a large number of arrests, with 1 372 suspects arrested. A total of 582 suspects were arrested for the illegal dealing in liquor, 262 of these arrests were effected in KwaZulu-Natal. Altogether 240 alleged drug dealers were arrested during this period.
Under recoveries and confiscations, police registered a number of successes including: 158 firearms were confiscated during operations, 47 of these firearms were confiscated during police operations in Kwa-Zulu Natal. This is the second consecutive week in which police in KZN recover a high number of firearms. In the week from 21 to 27 July 2024, the province seized 40 firearms and 1 448 rounds of ammunition were also confiscated. A total of 74 hijacked and stolen vehicles were also recovered during this week’s operations
According to police, a highlight of major take-downs include: two kidnappers were arrested and 90 undocumented Ethiopian nationals were rescued from a suspected human trafficking ring in Johannesburg.
The HAWKS in the Eastern Cape shot and killed five cash in transit suspects, while three suspects were arrested during a tracing operation. Counterfeit goods worth R7 million were seized in Fordsburg and Dragon City in Johannesburg. At the same time, R300 million worth of drugs, suspected to be crystal meth, were seized in Fourways, Johannesburg.
In the same operation, a kidnapped businessman was rescued and eight kidnappers were arrested. In KwaZulu-Natal police intercepted criminals involved in serious and violent crime across the province, including suspects wanted for murders, armed robberies and hijackings.
During arrests police were confronted by heavy gunfire. Two police officers were injured and hospitalised while more than 10 suspects were fatally wounded.
“Police will continue with their operations in stamping the authority of the state to ensure the safety and security of all people living in South Africa,” said Mathe.
Saturday Star