With more boots on the ground, SAPS in the greater Kimberley were out in full force.

The Acting Provincial Commissioner for the Northern Cape, Major General Luntu Ngubelanga and the Sol Plaatje Mayor, Mr Kagisho Sonyone led the multi-disciplinary Operation Shanela that took place on Friday, 16 August 2024 in the greater Kimberley area.

The Acting District Commissioner for Frances Baard, Brigadier Nicky Mtongana, was the Overall Commander while the Kagisho Station Commander, Colonel Michelle Ford took the lead as female Operational Commander during the Women’s Month operation.

Provincial Components, the Frances Baard District Office, Galeshewe, Kagisho, Roodepan and Kimberley SAPS, Provincial and local Traffic, the Departments of Labour, Home Affairs and various Sol Plaatje Municipality components joined forces to squeeze the space for criminals to operate.

The disruptive actions executed included compliance inspections, vehicle checkpoints (VCP), foot and vehicle patrols in Kimberley and surrounding areas.

VCP’S were conducted in Kimberley, Galeshewe, Roodepan and Kagisho policing precincts where 302 vehicles and 594 persons in total were stopped and searched.

A total of 41 fines were issued to the value of approximately R30 000-00 for various violations.

The Sol Plaatje Municipality led compliance inspections at several business premises, and 5 shops and several illegal street vendors were closed.

The disruptive actions concluded with high visibility patrols in the Kimberley CBD, at Malls and shopping centres in Kagisho, Galeshewe and Roodepan respectively.

Major General Ngubelanga thanked the Sol Plaatje Mayor, Mr Kagisho Sonyone and all the relevant stakeholders for the collaboration in working towards creating a safer city for all the inhabitants of the greater Kimberley and for ensuring the success Operation Shanela.

Source : South African Police Service