President's letter: Arresting criminality is foremost for SA - says Rampahosa

CAPE TOWN - President Cyril Ramaphosa says the fight against crime is gaining momentum. 

He’s given kudos to Operation Shaneal - a crime-busting effort aimed at rooting out high-profile suspects of serious crimes. 

Writing in his weekly newsletter on Monday - Ramaphosa says although many of the country’s citizens despair over the rate of crime - the situation can be arrested. 

Ramaphosa said with crime and violence so pervasive in the daily lives of South Africans - it’s no wonder many believe nothing will ever stop it. 

But he said Operation Shanela should give citizens hope because something is being done. 

Drawing heavily on collaboration with community policing forums - Ramaphosa says the initiative has made steady progress in dealing with crime hotspots and organised crime syndicates. 

Since Operation Shanela was introduced last year - over 700, 000 arrests have been made for various crimes including murder, cash-in-transit robberies, hijacking and sexual offences. 

Over the past two years – 20,000 firearms have been seized – and more than 3,000 of them in the Western Cape where gun violence is particularly rife.

Ramaphosa notes the approach to crime-fighting has had to evolve to respond to new forms of crime including illicit mining, construction site extortion and kidnappings for ransom. 

The president says even if crime has not impacted us directly - it’s everybody’s problem that can be turned around if communities support Operation Shanela.