South Africa: Joe Gqabi District Commissioner Leads Her Members in Operation Shanela

16 June 2024
South African Police Service (Pretoria)
press release

Joe Gqabi District Commissioner Maj Gen Lindelwa Vellem together with her senior officers and members painted the town of Ugie blue adding more boots on the ground during Shanela operations over the weekend.

The purpose of the operation was to make the communities feel safe during the start of the long weekend and school holidays by intensifying police visibility in all hotspot areas.

The operation supported by SAPS visible policing members, the K9 unit, Public Order Policing and the traffic department, kick started with a roadblock on the R56 between Elliot (Khowa) and Ugie.

While at the roadblock, Maj Gen Vellem seized the opportunity to reach out to the youth and engage with them by distributing colouring books, pamphlets on child safety and some sweets so that their journey could be more relaxing and enjoyable. Information on the prevention of gender bases violence was also shared with adult drivers and passengers.

Part of the operation included high visibility foot and vehicle patrols, stop and searches, the monitoring of liquor outlets as well the searching for dangerous weapons, drugs, illegal firearms, and the prevention of stock theft. Blue light patrols made a huge impact in the area.

At the end of the operation, the following successes were achieved:

Two suspects arrested for the possession of drugs and 13 straws of tik, confiscated

One suspect arrested for the pointing of a firearm

Two suspects arrested for drunken driving

Two illegal liquor outlets closed and the liquor confiscated

Seven traffic fines issued to the value of R 8500.

Seven persons arrested for drinking in public and

several knives seized.

The District Commissioner Maj Gen Lindelwa Vellem reiterated that operations such as this will be continuous in order to 'make an impact in the crime hotspots. We will make our presence known and criminals must feel the heat and run when they see us coming. We will be monitoring the liquor outlets and taverns very closely to ensure that no underage child is in the tavern especially during the school holidays.

Read the original article on SAPS.

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