With the only objective of dealing decisively with the amount of crime in the province,
Operation “Siyavutha” was launched in Mpumalanga on Friday, May 26, 2023, and
continued on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning, May 27 and 28.

The operation was graced by the MEC for Community Safety, Security and Liaison,
MEC Vusi Shongwe and led by the Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in
Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela.

Officials from the SAPS, the Department of Home Affairs, POLSEC, Provincial Traffic,
Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Law Enforcement from Mbombela Municipality,
and Community Policing Forum (CPF) were among the law enforcement agencies that
took part in Operation Siyavutha.

The arrest of a minibus driver (27) on Friday, May 26, 2023, for illegally possessing
ammunition during stop-and-searches at the Roadblock along the N4 Road in Nelspruit
was one of the major accomplishments made during this flurry of activity.

The taxi driver was reportedly ferrying commuters from Nelspruit heading to Gauteng
when the astute members discovered two live ammunition inside a cooler box at the
back of the kombi when a search was conducted.

A suspicious grey BMW was seen Friday as the formidable team conducted their
operation along the N12 Road. The BMW was travelling in the direction of
Johannesburg.

The vehicle was stopped and then searched whereby two AK-47 rifles were found in the
back seat of the car. The astute members immediately arrested the two men aged 41
and 43 respectively. Upon searching further inside the vehicle, members discovered 9
magazines loaded with ammunition for AK-47 rifles. The total number of ammunition
confiscated at the scene is 266.

The BMW was taken from its owner in Parktown (province of Gauteng) in September
2021, according to an initial inquiry. The two male suspects may have been on their way
to committing a crime when they were stopped, it is further believed.

During the operation, a total number of 77 people were arrested for various charges
ranging from murder, attempted murder, robbery, offences concerning Gender-Based-
Violence, unlawful possession of ammunition, assault with intent to cause grievous
bodily harm, contravention of the Immigration Act of South Africa, dealing in dagga and
common assault. Approximately 2385 persons and 815 cars were searched.

17 Tarverns in the Ehlanzeni District were visited by the team during the operation
where about 1000 patrons were searched inside those liquor outlets. Several items
were confiscated inside the visited liquor outlets, which include two knives (okappi’s),
three sachets of dagga and one plastic compressed with dagga. Two taverns were
further closed for noncompliance. One person was arrested for selling liquor without a
licence in Marite near Bushbuckridge.

The arrested suspects are expected to appear in various Magistrate’s Courts across the
province.