Operation Shanela 2 officially launched in the Western Cape

Western Cape Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety, Anroux Marais, has welcomed the official launch of Operation Shanela 2 in Belhar, Cape Town today.

Although there have been encouraging reductions in the Western Cape’s murder rate over past three consecutive quarters, crime remains a significant challenge. Despite ongoing interventions by the Western Cape Government like the doubling up deployment of Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP) officers in hotspot areas and the bolstering of municipal law enforcement capacity, more must be done by all stakeholders to address this issue.

Operation Shanela 2 will bring together a combined force comprising the South African Police Service (SAPS), City of Cape Town (CoCT) Metro Police as well as LEAP officers in a unified effort to dismantle criminal networks, disrupt gang activities, and bring perpetrators of violent crime to justice.

Minister Marais said, “I fully support this initiative and encourage SAPS management to utilise the additional personnel effectively to achieve the best possible results in addressing the stubborn scourge of serious and violent crime that continues to plague too many of our communities. This collaborative initiative marks a critical step towards the sharing of resources and intelligence, she added.”

“The Western Cape Government will continue to invest in improving and bolstering our law enforcement capacity and programmes,” Minister Marais concluded.

Media Enquiries:
Kurt Nefdt, Acting MLO to Minister Anroux Marais
Cell: 084 285 1975
Email: Kurt.Nefdt@westerncape.gov.za