Gauteng police are taking Operation Shanela to the Johannesburg CBD on Saturday. Police Minister Bheki Cele also takes part in the operations led by Provincial Commissioner Elias Mawela.
Spokesperson for the Police Minister, Lirandzu Themba says hijacked buildings will be targeted among others.
“The target operations are going to be led by Elias Mawela and is expected to also deal decisively with by-law transgressions, enforce liquor trade compliance and enhance overall police visibility in the economic hub of the country.”
#PoliceMinistry [MEDIA INVITATION] Police Minister, General Bheki Cele to join Gauteng police as they lead #OperationShanela targeting JHB illicit trade.
Date: Saturday, 12 August 2023
Time: 11:00
📍 : Mary Firtzgerald Square
MLhttps://t.co/LqIsmIO8oU pic.twitter.com/Y26ZwAPcNM— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) August 11, 2023
Operation Shanela in Mpumalanga
Meanwhile, Acornhoek residents in Mpumalanga are sceptical of police actions in the area. This comes after Provincial Police Commissioner Semakaleng Manamela launched Operation Shanela.
The area has not had a police station since it was torched some time ago but Manamela is adamant that criminal activities in the area will be dealt with accordingly.
Mpumalanga Police top brass showing off new resources for law enforcement officials. They say crime-fighting in Acornhoek will be taken to another level.
But the local police station has been rendered useless after it was gutted by fire some time ago. Residents doubt the new police operation will make a dent in crime.
“When you look at it, it won’t work because now we have so many crimes and before they came here, we went to the police station and asked them to change their working system. It won’t work because even our judiciary system, it doesn’t give police full force to work against crime.”
“A lot of people have been killed by gunshots, but maybe this operation will assist us but my worry is one. Our police don’t have enough resources but look at Acornhoek Police Station is burned. How are they going to work a place?”
Cash-in-transit heists remain on the rise in the region, especially in the Ehlanzeni district. This week alone seven suspects were arrested in connection with cash-in-transit robberies in the Acornhoek and Nkomazi area.
SAPS Mpumalanga commissioner explains.
“When we look into our crime threat analysis for the past three weeks, we knew. Last week already we stopped three CIT that we also recovered many of the vehicles, today it was not the first one today was just a mission of saying they must know that we will always be there. Hence, when they tried to stop that vehicle the police we there. .
The Police Commissioner says they’ve identified crime hot spots and as a result, law enforcement officials will be frequenting those areas randomly.
#sapsHAWKS Four suspects were arrested and two vehicles recovered at a safe house in Schoemansdal following a cash-in-transit robbery this morning towards Tonga. #TrioCrimes MLhttps://t.co/ah9zCCLWh5 pic.twitter.com/PcTKCjdC3K
— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) August 11, 2023