POLLY BOSHIELO | Fighting crime together

The one thing all South Africans can agree on is the need to bring an end to crime, extortion and corruption. These ills plague our communities and cause untold strife and pain. They deprive citizens of their democratic right to freedom of movement and they must be fought by everyone. 

Since the launch of Operation Shanela, the fight against crime, extortion and corruption has been taken directly to criminals, who are now realising that they have no place to hide. Operation Shanela, is a combined endeavour between the South African Police Service, the South African National Defence Force, the national and provincial traffic police, metro police departments, municipal traffic, the department of home affairs, Sars, environmental affairs, the department of transport, the National Prosecuting Authority, communitypolice forums, community patrollers and private security.

It is an all-of-society approach to tackling crime, corruption and extortion and it is working. Since the launch of Operation Shanela in July 2023 more than 850,000 suspects have been arrested for crimes ranging from murder to rape, kidnapping and extortion.  During this time drugs have been seized and drug dealers have been arrested, and there has also been a focus on retrieving illegal and unlicensed firearms and ammunition.

Shanela operations occur countrywide and are led by the provincial commissioner of each province. This targeted approach is key when dealing with cases such as extortion which are often localised. The help of the community in identifying suspects is critical to the work of detectives and crime intelligence, and this has led to several notable breakthroughs related to extortion. 

Speaking on the matter of extortion, the SAPS national commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola said SAPS has developed an extortion action plan which is being implemented throughout the country. “As management, we are particularly encouraged with how our police officers are addressing the crime of extortion across all provinces that have been identified as hotspots. We are following up on tip-offs and information shared through our hotlines and the crime stop number,” he said.

Operation Shanela works because it seeks to target and disrupt crime through regular stop and searches, roadblocks, vehicle checkpoints, high visibility patrols including foot patrols, the tracing of wanted suspects with a focus on murder and rape suspects, compliance inspections at liquor outlets and second-hand good dealers.

The successes of Operation Shanela are in large part due to the co-operation between the SAPS and the communities they serve. Masemola attributes the success of Operation Shanela to collaboration between all stakeholders.

“We believe that not only are we on the right track in reducing the volumes of crime, but we are also making headway in strengthening relationships with our communities,” he said.

These relationships with communities are critical in the fight against crime which should be a shared responsibility between the police, the community and the business sector. As a government, we are leveraging the support of the business community through the Joint Initiative on Crime and Corruption. Through this partnership, the private sector is providing business information and resources to assist in the fight against infrastructure crime. Business is also working with the government to modernise the 10111 helpline in a pilot project initiated at the main call centre in Midrand as well as the establishment together with the Hawks of a forensics analysis centre.

As part of this holistic approach, we will continue to champion initiatives that will mobilise all in society to work together towards a better and safer South Africa, and we believe that community policeforums (CPFs) play a pivotal role in fighting crime.

CPFs are a conduit between the community and their local police station. The work done by CPFs assists the police in identifying crime hot spots and informing the police about problems. They are also a platform for communities to report any information on wanted suspects and illegal firearms.

Active CPFs are crucial in supporting the police in crime prevention initiatives and patrols in high-crime areas. They ensure constant liaison between communities and the police to provide solutions, or to strengthen partnerships and improve service delivery.

It is partnerships such as these that are at the heart of the fight against crime and form a pivotal part in keeping our cities, communities, homes and places of work safe. By joining the fight you could make a difference.  If you see something, say something by reporting criminal activities and instances of crime. 

It is well known that criminals thrive in communities where their actions are tolerated or where criminals and their lifestyle are celebrated. By simply acting and doing what is right we can begin to isolate criminals and ensure that they have no place to hide.

Report crime at your local police station, or call Crime Stop on 08600 10111. This Crime Stop service is available 24 hours a day to any person who wants to report criminals and their activities by telephone. The caller may choose to remain anonymous.

• Polly Boshielo is the deputy minister of police.

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