Viable News Team 
Image Source: SAPS
The South African Police Service (SAPS) in the Northern Cape has intensified its efforts to curb crime through a week-long, high-impact initiative known as Operation Shanela 2, which ran from 28 July to 3 August 2025. In a powerful show of visibility and enforcement, the campaign saw the deployment of high-density policing strategies across the province, with a special focus on priority crimes.
To mark the beginning of Women’s Month, SAPS also officially launched Operation Basadi on 1 August, recognising and celebrating the critical role of female officers in frontline policing and leadership roles in law enforcement.
Major Crime-Fighting Achievements
The operations, spearheaded by multi-disciplinary teams, involved a range of intelligence-driven and disruptive policing tactics including:
- High-visibility blue-light patrols
- Stop-and-searches
- Roadblocks and vehicle checkpoints
- Targeted arrests of wanted suspects
According to SAPS statistics, a total of 12,315 individuals and 6,803 vehicles were searched during the operations. A total of 341 suspects were arrested for a wide array of offences, including:
- Murder
- Assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm
- Drug trafficking
- Driving under the influence
- Illegal immigration
- Housebreaking
- Illicit mining
In addition, numerous non-compliant liquor outlets were closed down, reflecting an ongoing crackdown on unregulated alcohol distribution and its connection to violent crimes.
During the week, officers also confiscated significant amounts of alcohol, drugs, dangerous weapons, illicit tobacco products, counterfeit goods, cash, and even a firearm. Compliance inspections were carried out at scrapyards, liquor stores, second-hand goods dealers, informal businesses, farms, and mines — often in collaboration with external government and community partners.
Community Education and Awareness
Running parallel to the enforcement actions were community outreach and awareness campaigns, conducted in Kimberley by SAPS’ Provincial Corporate Communication and Liaison unit in partnership with the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS). These sessions aimed to raise awareness about:
- Human trafficking
- Extortion
- Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF)
These outreach programmes emphasized proactive crime prevention and encouraged the public to report crimes and suspicious behaviour.
Lieutenant General Koliswa Otola, Provincial Commissioner of the Northern Cape, applauded the synergy between law enforcement, communities, and key stakeholders.
“We are deeply encouraged by the ongoing cooperation between our officers and community members. Together, we are asserting the authority of the state, ensuring that Northern Cape residents are safer and more secure,” she said.
As South Africa reflects on the contributions of women this Women’s Month, Operation Basadi reinforces the importance of gender equity in policing and promotes women’s active participation in creating safer communities.
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