Picture: The police during Operation Shanela/Supplied
By REGINALD KANYANE
6 July 2025- The police in the Northern Cape said it has, through Operation Shanela 2, intensified its police strategies to ensure that crime is reduced. Operations specifically focused on reducing contact crimes in hotspot areas, with specific emphasis on murder, Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF), the proliferation of firearms and ammunition, as well as drug trafficking.
The Northern Cape police spokesperson, Sergeant Timothy Sam said disruptive actions were executed and led by the five District Commissioners and Senior officers across the province. Sam said these actions commenced on 30 June 2025 until 6 July 2025.
“This resulted in the subsequent apprehension and arrest of 236 suspects, as well as the confiscation of numerous items. The targeted operations focused on roadblocks, vehicle check points, stop and searches.
“This includes compliance inspections and activities targeting drug and contraband smuggling , the tracking and tracing of wanted suspects and heightened police visibility that aimed at preventing and combating serious and violent crimes during this week,” he said.
Sam further said the actions resulted in a total of 2739 vehicles and 5904 persons being stopped and searched at various vehicle check points (VCPs) and roadblocks across the province. He added that numerous compliance inspections at second-hand dealers, scrapyards, recyclers, private security companies, firearm dealers, formal and informal businesses, as well as farms were conducted.
“Operational successes achieved, included the arrest of 236 suspects for murder, attempted murder, assault, burglaries, illegal dealing in liquor, contravention of the Firearms
Control Act.
“Other suspects were arrested for illegal possession of firearm, theft off or out of motor vehicle, malicious damage to property, driving under the influence of alcohol, robbery, rape, possession of dangerous weapons, dealing in and possession of drugs, illegal immigrants, and other crimes,” said Sam.
He said the police in Roodepan, supported by the Kimberley Public Order Police Unit, followed up on information regarding dagga sales and pounced on the unsuspecting suspect in Lorato Park in Kimberley. Sam said in Postmasburg, members of the Firearm, Liquor and Second-hand Goods, swiftly arrested two suspects aged 30, for possession of alleged stolen copper cables valued at approximately R170 000.
“The police confiscated large volumes of alcoholic beverages during raids at liquor outlets, drugs, dangerous weapons, firearms and cash that is believed to be the proceeds of crime.
“Several community awareness campaigns addressing various issues were initiated by stations in conjunction with community policing structures and government departments across the province,” said Sam.
Meanwhile, the Northern Cape Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Koliswa Otola appreciated all the efforts and activities by all SAPS members, law enforcement agencies and stakeholders as well as all community policing structures for their concerted efforts in preventing, combatting and fighting crime, making sure that nobody is left behind. Otola urged all citizens to be alert and vigilant at all times and report any suspicious criminal activity immediately to the SAPS emergency number 08600 10111 or via the MySAPS App.
6 July 2025- The Kwazulu Natal Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi made staggering allegations against the Minister of Police, Senzo Mchunu, Deputy Police Commissioner for Crime Detection, Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya and others that, they are involved in criminal activities. Mkhwanazi who briefed the media earlier on alleged that since the establishment of the Political Killings Task Team in July 2018, the team has been investigating a total of 612 dockets.
He further said these cases include murder, attempted murder, intimidation, conspiracy to commit murder and other cases. Mkhwanazi added that a total of 436 suspects were arrested and charged, with 156 firearms recovered of which 55 links ballistically to politically related cases.
“An additional 35 SAPS members were arrested and charged in attempts to defeat the course of justice in these cases. A total of 128 accused were found guilty on 106 cases, 29 accused were sentenced to life imprisonment, 40 accused were sentenced between 10 to 135 years, 25 accused were sentenced between 1 to 9 years, 23 accused sentenced between 3 to 12 months.
“Awaiting sentencing of 11 eleven accused on two cases. The sentences total to 1801 years imprisonment. On 26 March 2025, a total of 121 case dockets under investigation were taken away from the Task Team as directed by the Deputy National Commissioner: Crime Detection, Lieutenant General, Shadrack Sibiya acting on the instruction of the Minister of Police, Senzo Mchunu to disband the Task Team,” he said.
Mkhwanazi said this was done without the authority of the National nor the Provincial Commissioner. He said these case dockets have been sitting at the Head Office ever since without any investigation work done on them.
“Therefore, the team accounts for only 112 dockets of which 54 are politically related, 22 Parallel, 15 Adhoc, 16 University of Fort Hare and 5 Traditional Leadership. In 2024, a request was received from Gauteng Organised Crime Investigation Unit to assist with the investigation to dismantle the organised crime syndicate operating in the country and controlled in Gauteng Province.
“I took a decision to deploy 10 members from the Political Killings Task Team to support the Gauteng Organised Crime Investigation Unit. This investigation has unmasked the syndicate which involves politicians, law enforcement (SAPS, Metro Police & Correctional Services), prosecutors, and judiciary and is controlled by drug cartels, as well as business people,” said Mkhwanazi.
He said this act undermines the South African Criminal Justice System. Mkhwanazi alleged that Brown Mogotsi sent him WhatsApp messages regarding the allegations on the defeating the ends of justice matters, which were publicised which involve the Department of Correctional Services at Empangeni in KwaZulu Natal.
“Mogotsi also sent me a screenshot of a presentation that was made on 30 September 2024 titled: “2024/2025 Division Crime Intelligence Policies”. When asked to share the copy of this presentation, he responded by saying, “Gen Khan will brief you next week”.
“He further wrote that, 8 “the Minister is briefed, he has just arrived in Lusikisiki”. On 5 March 2025, a presentation was made to the Portfolio Committee by me, which included the allegations of an associate of the Minister of Police to Brown Mogotsi),” he said.
Mkhwanazi alleged that Mchunu denied knowing Mogotsi in Parliament, however, he confirmed that he knows Mogotsi during the telephonic conversation, which was posted @londcare 3-30, where he confirmed that this was his comrade from North West Province. He said the evidence has been found in the cell phone of the accused, Vusimuzi @CAT Matlala which shows the communication between Brown and Mchunu.
“In April 2024, Mr Swart, a Qtech employee was fatally shot while entering the company premises. Qtech has been a long-standing service provider to Transnet. Shortly after the incident, three suspects, including Warrant Officer Detective Tau Pule, were arrested in Johannesburg.
“During the arrest, weapons used in the murder—an AK-47 and a pistol—along with cell phones, were confiscated. The ballistic expert from within the Political Killing Task Team conducted examination of these firearms,” said Mkhwanazi.
“On 6 December 2024, the Task Team visited the premises of two of the high-profile syndicates of which one (Katiso Molefe) was arrested for the murder of Swart. The unusual activities were observed whilst the team was busy with this operation,” he said.
Mkhwanazi said on 30 December 2024, the Ballistic Expert issued a ballistic report which linked these firearms with a number of high-profile cases (including high-profile South African Artists) which occurred in Gauteng dating as far back as 2021. He said on 31 December 2024, Mchunu, issued a letter to disband the Political Killings Task Team and to suspend the filling of all vacancies within the Crime Intelligence.
“In January, February and April 2025, Sibiya issued written instructions withdrawing all the case dockets from the Task Team to his office. On 14 May 2025, the Task Team arrested Vusimuzi @CAT Matlala for an attempted murder x3.
“This is an individual who was awarded a police contract of over R360 million in 2024. An analysis was conducted on electronic communication of this syndicate. This analysis reveals communication between the arrested Vusimuzi @CAT 13 Matlala, Brown Mogotsi, an associate of Mchunu,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Police, Senzo Mchunu spokesperson, Kamogelo Mogotsi said Mchunu in his capacity as a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the African National Congress (ANC), has been on a campaign trail this weekend in Vryheid, KZN, ahead of the by-elections on 16 July 2025. Mogotsi said Mchunu has been engaging a number of community groupings, including Izinduna, community organisations and commercial farmers, discussing measures aimed at tackling the rampant crime affecting them, inclusive of stock theft.
“Whilst still busy with these engagements, the Minister was made aware of today’s media briefing called by the KwaZulu Natal Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, making a number of wild allegations and claims on a variety of issues.
“The Minister of Police will never allow his integrity, that of the Ministry or the SAPS at large, to be undermined by insinuations made without evidence or due processes, from anyone, including Mkhwanazi.
“We will be reviewing Mkhwanazi’s statements and consider appropriate action. All these statements made by him in public require an urgent, thorough and transparent investigation, on a proper platform,” she said.
Mogotsi said Mchunu remains committed to upholding the rule of law, ensuring accountability within the SAPS, and serving the people of South Africa with integrity. She said most importantly, Mchunu remains committed to the task at hand and that is to reduce the high murder rate, reduce high availability of illegal firearms, tackle drug trafficking and syndicates and GBV+F throughout the country, with a specific focus on the four provinces with high levels of crime, namely KZN, Gauteng, the Eastern Cape and Western Cape.
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