The South African Police Service (SAPS) has announced a significant breakthrough in its fight against gang violence, revealing that more than 51,000 suspects have been arrested in the Western Cape since April 1, 2025.

The arrests were made as part of Operation Lockdown, an ongoing effort to combat violent crime and prioritize community-level policing.

The National Commissioner of the SAPS, General SF Masemola, emphasised the police’s commitment to restoring safety in communities besieged by criminal activity.

“We will not allow gangs to hold communities hostage,” Masemola said.

He highlighted the strategy of reinforcing deployments and ensuring “more boots on the ground” to address crime at its source.

In addition to the high number of arrests, the operation has also resulted in the seizure of a substantial cache of weapons.

Police have confiscated 842 firearms and 9,000 dangerous weapons during the same period. The arrests and seizures underscore the police’s focus on disarming criminal elements and disrupting their operations.

Police pointed to recent successes as proof of the police’s decisive and swift action.

In the last two weeks alone, 37 gangsters were brought in for questioning, with 10 of them arrested and already appearing in court.

The commissioner also noted the “swift arrest of two suspects linked to the attack on three Members of Parliament” as evidence of their commitment to “act decisively and swiftly against those who threaten the safety of the citizens of this country.”

“Through Operation Lockdown, we are reinforcing deployments, ensuring more boots on the ground, and prioritising grassroots policing where crime is reported daily,” said Masemola.

The police service is continuing its efforts to dismantle gang structures and create a safer environment for residents of the Western Cape.

IOL News

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