Lentswe, Klerksdorp - As part of stamping the authority of the state, the weekly High Density Operation Shanela operations conducted between September 15 and 21, resulted in the arrest of 1 038 suspects. Police spokesperson Col Adele Myburgh said the operations, among others, focused on stop and searches, roadblocks, vehicle check points (VCPs), high-visibility patrols including foot patrols, the tracing of wanted suspects as well as visits to liquor outlets, taverns, and second-hand goods premises.
The arrested suspects included 21 for murder, 10 for robbery, 43 for rape, 275 for assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm (GBH), 70 for common assault, 12 for burglary at business and residential premises, 19 for illegal possession of firearms, 30 for driving whilst under the influence of alcohol or drugs, 76 for contravention of the Immigration Act, 24 for illegal dealing in liquor and 129 for possession of drugs.
Out of the 1 038 suspects, 489 were circulated wanted suspects and nabbed by Detectives after being linked to the committed crimes through forensic DNA and other leads.
Furthermore, police confiscated 18 firearms, 82 fireworks, three vehicles, 99 rounds of ammunition, three cellular phones, tablets, laptops, liquor and a variety of drugs and tobacco products.
In Lomanyaneng, in the early hours of the morning of September 17, a security guard at a school was overpowered by three men, wearing balaclavas. The men pointed the victim with a firearm and tied him up before gaining entry into the staff room where they stole tablets and laptops. The security guard was only rescued the next morning by cleaners while reporting on duty. Acting on a tip-off, police proceeded to a house in Lomanyaneng the next day, and arrested a 37-year-old Mogomotsi Bennet Sebolaneng and recovered three laptops, 15 tablets and a gas pistol, believed to have been used during the commission of the crime.
Sebolaneng appeared in the Molopo Magistrates’ Court on September 22 on a charge of business robbery. He abandoned his bail application after it was established that he as out on bail for a similar offence and was remanded in custody until his next court appearance before the same court on October 30.
In another separate incident, an intelligence driven operation conducted at Freedom Park, Phase 1, Phokeng on September 18, by Rustenburg Public Order Police (POP) led to the search, arrest of two males and the recovery of two firearms, ammunition, explosives as well as dye-stained money. Itu Monjane (33) and Nelson Lahlewe Huahwa (34) appeared before the Bafokeng Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 22 September 2025, on charges of possession of unlicensed firearm and ammunition, explosives and dye-stained money. The pair was remanded in custody and will apply for bail at their next court appearance.
Ongoing investigations by the Murder and Robbery Unit in Nietverdiend concerning the Masebudula incident, led to the recovery of a R1 and R5 Rifle with 25 rounds of ammunition on September 20. Investigations are continuing.
