The police in the province have during the weekly Joint Law Enforcement high density Operation Shanela 2 operations, which also, arrested 945 suspects for a variety of crimes between Monday, 12 and Sunday, 19 October 2025, across all five districts. The successes followed the recent provincial launch of the Safer Festive Season Operations in Jouberton, as part of implementing a comprehensive strategy to address the heightened risk of criminality associated with increased movement of people and elevated social activity.
Out of the 945 arrested suspects, it is worth noting that 466 were arrested by the Detectives as those on the circulated wanted suspects’ lists. The suspects were arrested for a variety of crimes, and they included 54 Illegal immigrants.
As part of the operations, the police addressed identified crime generators through Joint Law Enforcement compliance inspections to enforce the provisions of the Liquor and Second-Hand Goods Acts. As a result, 25 unlicensed liquor outlets (shebeens) were closed, and large quantities of liquor were confiscated. In addition, the operations led to the confiscation of a variety of drugs, three laptops, firearms, ammunition, precious metals and tobacco products.
In Dr Kenneth Kaunda District, Potchefstroom Crime Prevention recovered illicit cigarettes to an estimated value of R3.3 Million on Monday, 13 October 2025. Information received, led members to the N12 road (between Fochville and Potchefstroom), where a tuck was stopped and 250 x master cases of illicit cigarettes were discovered. The truck occupants, Xolani Dladla (45) and Sanele Bele (27) were arrested and made their first court appearance in the Potchefstroom Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, 15 October 2025, on a charge for being in possession of illicit cigarettes. The pair were remanded in custody until their next court appearance on Tuesday, 22 October 2025.
On Tuesday evening, 14 October 2025, an intelligence driven operation conducted by Rustenburg police, led to the arrest of two suspects for possession of suspected stolen copper cable. The police intercepted a Toyota Hilux bakkie on the R24 in Rustenburg and discovered copper cable to the value of R65 000.00. The two accused, Ejaz Hussain Shan (36) and Prince Nyamukondiwa (37) appeared before the Rustenburg Magistrate’s Court on Friday, 17 October 2025 for possession of presumed stolen property and were remanded in custody until their second court appearance before the same court on Thursday, 23 October 2025 for bail application.
The Acting Provincial Commissioner of North West, Major General Ryno Naidoo congratulated the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) Cluster for working together in achieving these successes as part of ensuring the well-being and safety of South Africans in particular the people of North West Province
