Police step up festive season operations to combat crime

Police will intensify operations across the country during the festive season, with increased visibility on roads, at shopping centres, ports of entry and other busy areas to protect residents and visitors.

Police Deputy Minister Cassel Mathale said the South African Police Service (SAPS) would deploy dedicated officers around the clock as part of efforts to combat crime and improve public safety.

“We are ensuring that there is heightened police visibility nationally,” Mathale said.

Speaking at the launch of the Safer Festive Season programme in Mpumalanga, Mathale said the festive season brings a surge in tourism, with ports of entry becoming busier as people travel in and out of the country for holidays and other reasons.

“We will therefore ensure that our police officers are more visible on the road, in shopping centres and other areas with high concentration of our people and tourists,” Mathale said.

He said road fatalities and accidents also tend to increase during this period, with many accidents resulting from driving under the influence of alcohol.

“Therefore, a zero tolerance approach will be followed against drinking and driving. SAPS will therefore ensure the enforcement of legislation regarding liquor trading and public consumption thereof, as well as enhancing safety at sports and recreational events.

“The continuous senseless and brutal killings of women and children demands a much stronger response from us. Hence we will be strengthening our interventions towards combating Gender-Based Violence and Femicide.

“To this effect, we will be conducting integrated campaigns and law enforcement operations across communities to aggressively target perpetrators of violent crimes against women and children,” the Deputy Minister said.

Other key interventions during the festive season will include:

• Preventing aggravated robberies and trio crimes.
• Strengthening border security in collaboration with the Border Management Authority (BMA).
• Dismantling the illicit economy.
• Enforcing compliance with firearm, liquor and second-hand goods legislation.
• Intensifying road safety operations with national, provincial and local traffic authorities.
• Strengthening security at major events, including preparations for the 2026 local government elections and the protection of voting stations and election results.
• Targeting extortion and kidnapping.

Mathale said fighting and eliminating all forms of crime remained the primary mandate of the Department of Police.

“We remain sharply aware of our pressing obligation to continue pursuing every effort that will deliver a crime-free South Africa, where our citizens and everyone within our borders will live without fear of being attacked or becoming victims of criminality.

“Therefore, the safer festive season programme does not replace our primary policing functions but is intended to augment and upscale policing during the holiday season,” Mathale said.

He said the launch marked a renewed commitment to protecting residents and visitors and ensuring that criminals had nowhere to hide.

“We are committing to protecting our citizens and visitors. We are declaring war against crime and criminality. We are ensuring that criminals will have nowhere to hide.

“The police cannot fight crime alone. You (communities) need to take decisive action to stand with the police against crime and criminality. Criminals live with us and among us as members of the community, we know who they are,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za

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