Ekurhuleni murders: Police expand Operation Shanela crackdown

Government has expanded Operation Shanela in Ekurhuleni as authorities intensify law-enforcement operations following the murders of nine women across the metro.

The expanded operation brings metro police into the deployment alongside other law-enforcement agencies and increases policing visibility in affected communities.

The Inter-Ministerial Committee on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide announced the intervention as part of its response to the killings.

Metro police join expanded operation

Authorities will use the operation to enforce municipal bylaws and target the illegal sale of liquor and drugs.

Government said the intervention would also support existing work against illegal migration.

The National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure, known as NATJOINTS, has already increased law-enforcement visibility in Ekurhuleni.

The expanded Operation Shanela now includes metro police officers from Gauteng’s three metropolitan municipalities.

Government announced the measures after nine women’s bodies were discovered in Ekurhuleni between July and September.

Police have repeatedly cautioned against assuming that all the killings are linked.

Ekurhuleni to clear overgrown areas

Authorities are also targeting environmental conditions that could create safety risks.

The City of Ekurhuleni will step up grass cutting and clear overgrown open spaces and illegal dumping sites.

Government has also redirected its Love Your Street campaign towards neighbourhood safety in the metro.

The programme encourages residents and municipalities to clean and maintain public spaces, while government stressed that municipalities remain responsible for refuse removal, clearing open areas and ensuring proper lighting.

Specialised detectives continue murder probes

The expanded policing operation runs alongside a specialised investigation into the women’s deaths.

Police have deployed detectives, forensic specialists and other investigative resources to the cases.

Authorities continue to appeal for information from the public.