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Speaker notes: Media briefing to update on the successes for the stabilisation, normalisation and sustainability plan SAPS Eldorado Park, 24 October 2024 – 08:00 Good morning ladies and gentlemen Firstly, let me start by giving an update on the Orlando rape and murder case of six-year-old girl who was brutally raped and murdered on the 21st of October 2024. When the incident was reported, the Station Commander immediately mobilized a team of detectives and vispol together with other stakeholders through the Minister’s Collaboration Agreement. A warrant of arrest was issued for the suspect known as Phethe Sara Simiao on 22 October 2024 and he was eventually arrested last night, 23 October 2024 at Zola 1. He will charged with rape and murder and is expected to appear before Protea Magistrates’ court on 25 October 2024. I will like to thank all the stakeholders who worked along side the police, especially the community of Orlando that has been actively involved from the beginning in ensuring the arrest of the suspect. In response to community outcries where violent crimes were escalating National Head Office together with the Province and Districts developed an operational plan to mitigate the emerging threats. The various stabilisation operations were launched as follows: 1. JOHANNESBURG/WEST RAND DISTRICTS – GANG VIOLENCE (SOPHIA TOWN – WESTBURY, ELDORADO PARK, BOOYSENS, LANGLAAGTE – RIVERLEA, REIGER PARK, ORLANDO – NOORTGESIG AND MOHLAKENG – TOEKOMSRUS) “Operation Restore” was implemented at the above mentioned policing precinct from 12 March to 12 September 2024 with the aim of reducing gang violence and crimes such as murder, attempted murder, proliferation of firearms, drugs as well as malicious damage to property caused by random shootings. For the duration of six months, this operation has achieved the following successes; 1.1 Total Arrests: 1 587 1.2 Convictions 1.3 Total Seizures
• 65 Murder • 87 Attempted Murder • 214 Possession of unlicensed firearm and ammunition • 1 221 Dealing and possession of drugs Seven cases finalised (murder, attempted murder, possession of firearm and ammunition). Total years of imprisonment: One life imprisonment and 41 years imprisonment.
1.4 To deal decisively with the proliferation of illicit drugs, our Crime Intelligence together with Organised Crime Investigations and Gauteng Hawks have managed to detect and dismantle clandestine drug laboratories between March and September; 09 Drug Laboratories were dismantled and a total of 35 suspects were arrested:
1.5 The Proactive approach of the operational plan include to enhance community based intelligence and to improve youth related activities aimed at reducing drug abuse and gang related activities;
2. TSHWANE STABILISATION TO ADDRESS VIOLENT CRIMES IN RIETGAT (JUKULYN), LOATE (WINTERVELDT), AKASIA, MABOPANE AND SOSHANGUVE 2.1 On the 14th of May 2024, a Stabilisation Team was deployed to strengthen policing in the above mentioned policing precincts. The team is comprised of Crime Intelligence, Detectives, National Intervention Unit, Tactical Response Team, Gauteng Rapid Response Units, Public Order Police, Drone Unit Community Policing Forum as well as private security companies Total arrests: 206 (for the period 14 May 2024 to 30 September 2024) 2.2 Spiking Incidents on the N1, N4 and R80 roads There are 36 accused who are remanded in custody while awaiting trial on charges ranging from hijacking, possession of a stolen/hijacked vehicle, kidnapping, armed robbery among others. To highlight a recent incident where a member attached National Mobile Operations was a victim of a hijacking which occurred on 13 October 2024. The team managed to trace and arrest six suspects at an informal settlement near Bundu Inn and in Rama City, in Akasia policing precinct. The seven include three illegal immigrants while the other two are linked to a case of common robbery and the last two are linked to assault GBH. (Victim could not positively identify the suspects and they can therefore not be linked to the hijacking, for now they are only facing the charge being illegal in the country) Since May 2024, we have also managed to secure a combined three life sentences and an additional 54 years imprisonment for four accused on four case dockets (for murder, rape, robbery aggravating as well as possession of a replica firearm). 2.3 Online related incidents stabilisation from August 2023 to September 2024
3. OPERATION VALA UMGODI 3.1 Total arrests: 4 796 including 3 657 illegal immigrants. 3.2 Total confiscations
The Gauteng Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, commonly known as the Hawks has three operations underway to address level 3 perpetrators for illicit mining (Grumpy Face, Greedy in Ekurhuleni, Gravity in West Rand). It is worth mentioning that they successfully terminated the fourth operation in October 2022, after the arrest of six suspects and the seizure of more than R20 million worth of assets (Gillet which was concentrated in the West Rand). 4. CONCLUSION Ladies and gentlemen, with every plan there must be a monitoring and evaluation mechanism in place to constantly review whether or not the plan is deriving the desired outcomes. This, so that we can immediately intervene when necessary. We have noticed that with regards to the gangs affected areas, six out of eight have managed to decrease their crime levels. It was only Mohlakeng and Reiger Park which recorded a slight increase. With regards to Tshwane, three out of the five police stations have also recorded a decrease while two police stations recorded an increase (Rietgat and Mabopane). This is according to the crime analysis which was conducted by the Provincial Crime Registra. We are recording less cases of shooting incidents in gang affected areas, less cases of spiking incidents and less cases of violent crimes in Tshwane. We are also recording less illegal mining related incidents. Minister Senzo Mchunu pioneered the official signing of the Collaboration Agreement in the three metropolitan cities in Gauteng Province. We have already established a Provincial JOINTS Steering Committee which has the responsibility of realising the outcomes of the collaboration Agreement. We believe that this approach will assist the to further reduce the province’s crime levels. I thank you!
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