This week, Johannesburg has been the epicenter of a large-scale law enforcement operation targeting organized crime, illegal immigration, and a range of illicit activities. Gauteng Police Commissioner, General Tommy Mthombeni, has confirmed that his operation, known as Operation Shanela, has successfully apprehended over 1,200 suspected criminals, including a significant number of undocumented foreign nationals.
Coinciding with this initiative, the City of Johannesburg’s MMC for Public Safety, Dr. Mgcini Tshwaku, launched his own week-long operation, #ManjeNamhlanje. As of Wednesday, Tshwaku reported the arrest of 200 illegal immigrants during his team’s sweep of the city’s central areas. The operation has been expansive, targeting criminals from all walks of life, including motorbike riders found to be in violation of the law, with many of their bikes impounded.
The arrests have been part of a broader mission to address the growing concerns over gender-based violence (GBV) in the city, with more than 220 individuals arrested on such charges alone. Tshwaku emphasized that this operation is not limited to the heart of Johannesburg, but is also spreading to neighboring districts to curb criminal activity across the region.
Tshwaku’s operation also led to the arrest of a suspected drug kingpin known as ‘Bara,’ who was captured in Hillbrow as part of the ongoing effort to dismantle the inner city’s drug trade. In a related development, Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) officers uncovered an illegal borehole drilling operation in Roodekrans, Roodepoort. The drilling company failed to produce the necessary licenses, leading to the arrest of the driver and the impounding of the drilling truck.
This intensified law enforcement push follows a viral video that surfaced on social media showing a group of illegal immigrants forcibly reopening a hijacked government-owned building in Johannesburg, after it had been sealed by JMPD officers. Tshwaku and his team have vowed to continue their efforts, focusing on building raids and drug busts every day.
Tshwaku has warned criminals operating in Johannesburg’s inner city, including building hijackers and drug dealers, that they will be relentlessly pursued. Working alongside Xolani Khumalo, a former Sizokthola TV presenter known for his unyielding stance against crime, Tshwaku has committed to ensuring the city becomes a safer, crime-free zone for its residents.
