Good morning, ladies and gentlemen

The festive season is a significantly busy period for the South African Police Service. During this time, we intensify our crime-combatting operations to ensure the safety and security of our communities, holidaymakers, and tourists alike.

We are gathered here this morning to take stock of the achievements made by our men and women in blue throughout this period.

Reflecting on these accomplishments, it is evident that the country’s law enforcement agencies, led by the South African Police Service, have worked tirelessly to ensure that everyone in the country is and feels safe.

244 951 Suspects Arrested During the Festive Season

Our safer festive season operations commenced on 11 October 2024 and concluded on 31 January 2025, resulting in 244 951 arrests.

Through our safer festive season operational concept, which includes Operation Shanela, we intensified our prevention and combatting strategies on nine focus areas, with serious and violent crimes at the centre of attention. Our efforts targeted crimes such as Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF), aggravated robberies, murders, rape, and car hijackings.

Regular operations, including roadblocks, track and tracing operations, stop-and-searches, and collaborative efforts from all involved, left criminals with nowhere to hide during this period.

Our intelligence operatives, detectives, visible policing members, and forensic experts worked tirelessly in tracking, tracing, and taking down wanted criminals. Through intelligence and collaboration with various units within SAPS, crime threats were addressed using conventional methods to identify, neutralise, dislodge, dismantle, and take down organised crime syndicates.

Crime intelligence continuously monitored various organised crime threats, including:

• Theft of motor vehicles
• Kidnappings for extortion
• Cash-in-transit armed robberies
• Critical infrastructure crimes
• Illegal mining
• Stock theft

More Boots on the Ground

With 2 699 newly trained constables joining our ranks in mid-December 2024, we enhanced police visibility and crime-combatting efforts in identified hotspots across the country, including malls, beaches, and key strategic routes.

5 500 Additional Boots to Commence Training

This week, 5 500 new police trainees will begin their training. Those with a matric certificate or NQF level 5 qualification will undergo a nine-month training programme, while those with an NQF level 6 qualification or higher will undergo a six-month programme.

Over the past three years, SAPS has successfully trained and deployed more than 20 000 constables across various units and stations to bolster crime-fighting efforts.

Arrests Effected from 11 October 2024 to 31 January 2025

During this period:

• More than 2 million patrols were conducted.
• Over 4 600 roadblocks were implemented.
• 620 000 stop-and-searches were conducted, with over 2 million persons searched.
• 78 000 licensed liquor premises were inspected, along with 12 000 firearm dealer and private security compliance inspections.
• 6 547 unlicensed liquor premises were shut down nationwide.

Crime Combatting Results:

• 4 501 murder and attempted murder suspects arrested.
• 3 983 rape and attempted rape suspects arrested.
• 27 640 suspects arrested for assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
• 17 311 suspects arrested for common assault.
• 4 675 suspects arrested for dealing in drugs.
• 27 376 suspects arrested for possession of drugs.
• 10 042 suspects arrested for illegal liquor trade.
• 1 952 suspects arrested for illegal firearm possession.
• 1 380 suspects arrested for illegal possession of ammunition.
• 9 540 suspects arrested for driving under the influence.
• 25 950 illegal immigrants arrested.

Seizures and Recoveries

• 2 198 illegal firearms confiscated, including 1 731 handguns, 154 homemade guns, 211 rifles, and 102 shotguns.
• 37 658 rounds of ammunition seized.
• 1 767 explosives confiscated, used mainly in illegal mining and cash-in-transit heists.
• R4 million in cash recovered.
• 116 293 stolen cell phones seized.
• 960 stolen and hijacked vehicles recovered.

Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF)

Between October and December 2024:

• 685 GBVF perpetrators were convicted.
• 110 received life sentences.
• 71 received 20 years or more in prison.
• 174 received sentences between 10 and 19 years.
• 330 received sentences between one and nine years.

Convictions from 01 October to 31 December 2024

A total of 9 908 accused were convicted of crimes, including:

• 603 life sentences
• 71 sentenced to 40 years or more
• 105 sentenced between 30 and 39 years
• 750 sentenced between 20 and 29 years
• 3 431 sentenced between 10 and 19 years
• 4 948 sentenced between four and nine years

Police Killings: 30 Police Killers Arrested During Festive Season

From October 2024 to date, 21 police officers have been killed.

Thirty police killers were arrested, and seven were convicted to 22 life sentences plus 725 additional years.

SAPS continues to ensure members are operationally ready, trained, and equipped to combat crime effectively.

Operation Vala Umgodi

Since December 2023, Operation Vala Umgodi has resulted in over 18 000 arrests, mainly illegal immigrants. Other key results include:

• 458 firearms and 12 000 rounds of ammunition seized
• 283 trucks, 303 vehicles, and 84 heavy machinery confiscated
• R5 million in cash recovered
• Uncut diamonds worth R32 million seized

More than 1 700 illegal miners arrested in August 2024 remain in custody, with 121 deported.

NatCom Priorities for 2025

SAPS remains committed to crime reduction through:

• Expanding Operation Shanela
• Strengthening gang-related, serious, and violent crime prevention
• Enhancing crime intelligence units
• Upgrading 10111 call centre technology
• Recruiting more detectives
• Strengthening community-police relations

In Closing

We extend our gratitude to all stakeholders, community patrollers, neighbourhood watches, and policing forums for their support.

To our dedicated SAPS members who sacrificed their leave over the festive season—thank you for your service and commitment.

If you see something, say something by calling 08600 10111.

I thank you!

#GovZAUpdates