GAUTENG - The police in Gauteng started the Safer Festive Season Operations by arresting seventy-five (75) suspects for allegedly driving while under the influence of alcohol on Saturday, 18 October 2025.
During the Gauteng Provincial launch of Safer Festive Season Operations, Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni outlined the priorities and focus areas in combating crime this festive season. These priorities included intensifying roadblocks, stop and searches, raiding of liquor outlets, patrols at the taxi ranks, bus terminals, train stations and shopping centres; dealing with the proliferation of firearms as well as dealing with issues of gender based violence and femicide.
To ensure that these priorities are realised, Lieutenant General Mthombeni led a multidisciplinary Operation Safer Festive Season from Friday, 17 October 2025.
In addition to those who were arrested for driving while under the influence of alcohol, the police in Gauteng arrested over one thousand (1000) other suspects over the past weekend, for committing various offences.
One hundred and fifty-four (154) suspects were arrested in Ekurhuleni District for various crimes, including dealing in liquor, possessions of drugs, contravention of protection order and illegal immigrants.
Four hundred and sixty-three (463) suspects were arrested in Tshwane District for crimes ranging from car hijacking to kidnapping.
In Sedibeng and the West Rand Districts, police arrested one hundred and seventy-nine (179) suspects for crimes that involve possessions of stolen property and dealing in drugs, operating unlicensed liquor outlets and illegal immigrants.
The police executed operations in Johannesburg District whereby two hundred and eighteen (218) suspects were apprehended for possessions of unlicensed firearm, assaults and malicious damage to the property amongst other crimes.
The raid by the detectives resulted in the arrests of suspects who have been wanted for committing offences that include rape, sexual assault, murder, attempted murder, robbery, car hijacking and cases related to gender-based violence and femicide.
The arrested suspects will appear before various Magistrate Courts within the province from Monday, 20 October 2025, while others were released after paying admission of guilty fines.