Festive Crackdown Sees Over 16,000 Arrests
The South African Police Service’s Safer Festive Season Operation is underway across the country, leading to the arrest of more than 2,600 wanted suspects for serious and violent crimes in the past week, reports EWN. Police also detained over 1,000 people for illegal alcohol sales and seized 25,000 litres of liquor, while 771 motorists were arrested for drunk driving. Two Mozambican nationals were taken into custody after officers recovered firearms stolen from police members killed in Ivory Park, including an R5 rifle and a pistol. According to SAPS spokesperson Vincent Mukhathi, the combined efforts of the festive season operation and Operation Shanela II resulted in 16,817 arrests between 1 and 7 December 2025.
Orange Farm 'Under Siege' by Gangs
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Residents of Orange Farm, south of Johannesburg, say persistent crime, including murders, gangsterism, and frequent robberies, has left the community living in constant fear, reports SABC News. Frustrated residents are also complaining about the lack of police visibility and are accusing police of not always being there when they are needed. One resident, who asked to remain anonymous for safety reasons, described the area as being "under siege." The people are often confronted by armed gangs on their way home from work and feel too afraid to seek help. According to residents, the problem affects all extensions of Orange Farm, including Drieziek.
Push for Stronger Whistleblower Protection
Anti-corruption civil society organisations are calling for an independent whistleblowing agency and stronger, mandatory protections for whistleblowers and their families, reports EWN. Speaking at Stellenbosch University's first Babita Deokaran memorial lecture on World Anti-Corruption Day, the Inclusive Society Institute and OUTA said the lack of adequate legislation, citing the killings of Deokaran and, more recently, Marius van der Merwe, who was murdered shortly after giving anonymous testimony at the Madlanga Commission. OUTA CEO Wayne Duvenage said the absence of reforms since the Zondo Commission’s recommendations leaves whistleblowers living in fear, while corrupt networks operate with impunity. Inclusive Society Institute CEO Daryl Swanepoel described the whistleblower regime as outdated and ineffective, urging the creation of a secure digital reporting system, rapid protection within 72 hours, and a fully funded independent agency financed through a share of recovered corruption proceeds. He also proposed criminalising the intimidation of whistleblowers and barring offending companies from state contracts.
