By REGINALD KANYANE
2 September 2025 – The police in the North West have during the weekly High Density Operation Shanela 2 operations, arrested 1241 suspects for a variety of crimes ranging from burglaries at residential and non-residential premises, aggravated robberies, murders, rapes, dealing in and possession of drugs, driving under the influence of liquor, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. The police said this includes illicit mining among others.
The North West police spokesperson, Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone said operations were conducted between 25 and 31 August 2025, in all five districts. Mokgwabone said out of the 1241 arrested suspects, it is worth noting that 460 were arrested by the Detectives as those on the circulated wanted suspects’ lists and 20 illegal immigrants were arrested for being in the country in contravention of the Immigration Act.
“As part of the operations, the police addressed identified crime generators through Joint law enforcement compliance inspections to enforce the provisions of the Liquor and Second-Hand Goods Acts.
“As a result, 13 unlicensed liquor outlets (shebeens) were closed, and large quantities of liquor were confiscated,” he said.
Mokgwabone further said in addition, the operations led to the confiscation of 25 cell phones, copper cables, seven firearms, 303 rounds of ammunition, precious metals and tobacco products. He added that in the Bojanala Platinum District, a disruptive illegal mining operation by Vala Umgodi team, Rustenburg based Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) and Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, at Bapong Illegal Mining Site, near R556, Mooinooi on 28 August 2025, led to the confiscation an abandoned excavator, two generators, four jack hammers, drill bits and electric cords, which are used for illegal mining.
Meanwhile, the acting North West Police Commissioner, Major General Patrick Asaneng, said that as the country and the province prepare for the start of the normally hectic festive season, the intensified South African Police Service led high density integrated Operation Shanela is relentlessly tracking, apprehending, and locking no less than 1000 wanted suspects every week. Asaneng aid among the arrested suspects are the province’s circulated wanted, dangerous repeat offenders whose reign of terror has been nipped in the bud.
The Guardian 