South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers walk with South African Police Service (SAPS) officers in Mfuleni township in Cape Town on March 31, 2026.
JOHANNESBURG - The South African Police Service (SAPS) and the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) say 1,287 suspects have been arrested through Operation Prosper in May.
Illegal firearms, drugs and gold were seized.
"The suspects were arrested for crimes ranging from illicit mining-related offences, murder, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH), unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition, unlawful possession of gold-bearing material, contravention of the Immigration Act, to possession of suspected stolen property and various other serious offences," SAPS and SANDF said in a joint statement.
ARRESTS EFFECTED DURING May 2026
▪️ 8 suspects arrested for murder
▪️ 384 suspects arrested for drug-related offences
▪️ 4 suspects arrested for assault GBH
▪️ 9 suspects arrested for unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition
▪️ 6 suspects arrested for unlawful possession of ammunition
▪️ 4 suspects arrested for unlawful possession of gold-bearing material
▪️ 363 suspects arrested for contravention of the Immigration Act
▪️ 7 suspects arrested for possession of suspected stolen property
▪️ 502 suspects arrested for offences including robbery, possession of dangerous weapons, malicious damage to property, contravention of the Second-Hand Goods Act, contravention of the Road Traffic Act, fraud and liquor-related offences
ITEMS RECOVERED AND CONFISCATED
Joint operational teams also recovered and confiscated the following items during operations conducted across the five provinces:
▪️ 31 illegal and unlicensed firearms and 11 replica firearms
▪️ 1,703 rounds of ammunition and 7 magazines
▪️ 13,740 litres of illicit alcohol
▪️ 1 stolen vehicle recovered
▪️ Gold-bearing material
▪️ Various quantities of drugs, including dagga, mandrax, heroin and CAT
Earlier this year, President Cyril Ramaphosa approved the deployment of over 2,000 soldiers to help fight crime.
Under Operation Prosper, the SANDF was sent to assist the police in Gauteng, the Eastern Cape, the Western Cape, the Free State, and the North West for the next year.