MASSIVE POLICE CRACKDOWN: OVER 13,000 ARRESTED NATIONWIDE AS SAPS NETS WANTED UK FUGITIVE AND DESTROYS 11,859 WEAPONS
PRETORIA – In one of the most high-impact policing weeks of the year, the South African Police Service (SAPS) arrested 13,020 suspects nationwide during its relentless Operation Shanela II sweeps conducted between 6 and 12 July 2026.
The massive operation was punctuated by the dramatic arrest of an internationally wanted fugitive, major illegal mining shutdowns, multi-million rand counterfeit busts, and the symbolic destruction of nearly 12,000 illegal firearms.
The Arrest of a Wanted UK Fugitive
On Friday, 10 July 2026, a coordinated tactical strike in Kensington, Johannesburg, led to the apprehension of Ndodana Mkhanyisi Tshuma.
The operation—spearheaded by the SAPS INTERPOL National Central Bureau, Crime Intelligence, and the Organised Crime Investigation Unit—concluded a manhunt for Tshuma, who is wanted by British authorities for a horrific domestic tragedy. He stands accused of the murders of his wife, Nothabo Zandile Tshuma (42), and their two young daughters, Natalie (15) and Nala (5), whose bodies were discovered in their home near Bedford, United Kingdom.
Turning Weapons to Scrap: 11,859 Firearms Destroyed
To mark International Firearm Destruction Day (observed annually on 9 July), Deputy Minister of Police Dr. Polly Boshielo overseen the physical destruction of 11,859 firearms and firearm parts.
The majority of these weapons were seized during active street-level policing operations like Operation Shanela, or voluntarily surrendered during recent national amnesty windows. Crucially, 157 of the destroyed firearms were linked to finalized court cases involving crimes against women and children, while three were tied directly to violent cash-in-transit (CIT) robberies.
Crime Blitz: Weekly Arrests & Confiscations at a Glance
Out of the 13,020 suspects processed, 1,886 were wanted profile suspects running from serious and violent offenses.
Key Arrests
- Murder: 105 suspects (Eastern Cape: 28, Gauteng: 26).
- Rape: 138 suspects (KwaZulu-Natal: 32, Gauteng: 29).
- Drug Possession & Dealing: 1,986 suspects arrested.
- Immigration: 2,089 individuals detained for contravening the Immigration Act (including 801 in Gauteng).
- Drunk Driving: 523 motorists arrested.
Seizures & Recoveries
- 100 unlicensed firearms (including handguns, shotguns, and rifles) along with 1,752 rounds of ammunition taken off the streets.
- 629 dangerous weapons confiscated.
- 46 stolen or hijacked vehicles successfully recovered.
Provincial Highlights and Tactical Breakthroughs
Gauteng: Heavy Blow to Illegal Mining
- Westonaria: A massive joint operation (Operation Prosper) involving SAPS, the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), and private security at Losberg Kloof Mine resulted in the arrest of 217 illegal miners.
- Mohlakeng: A parallel SAPS-SANDF sweep in the West Rand netted another 120 illegal miners caught in possession of gold-bearing materials.
Limpopo: R77.9 Million Counterfeit Bust
A multi-agency raid across Tzaneen, Phalaborwa, and Mankweng led to the seizure of 162,072 counterfeit and illicit items valued at an estimated R77.9 million. The confiscated stockpile ranged from fake luxury clothing and cosmetics to hazardous unregistered pesticides and sub-standard automotive parts.
Free State: R3.6 Million Illicit Cigarette Raid
In the small town of Boshof, an intelligence-led raid on a supermarket and a nearby warehouse uncovered 339 master boxes and over 15,000 loose packets of counterfeit cigarettes. Three foreign nationals were arrested.
Eastern Cape: Gang Unit Dismantles Drug Dens
In Nelson Mandela Bay, the specialized Anti-Gang Unit raided Richmond Hill, seizing 2,797 Mandrax tablets, cocaine, and crystal meth (tik) valued at R115,000, alongside illegal ammunition discovered at a local Transnet depot.
North West: Justice for Slain Community Activist
SAPS Provincial Murder and Robbery investigators made a major breakthrough by arresting two suspects, aged 28 and 38, for the May 2026 assassination of Thato Molosankwe, a beloved local community leader who was widely known for actively speaking out against local gang syndicates and criminal networks.
