The South African Police Service (SAPS) says it arrested more than 2 000 sexual predators during a Women’s Month crackdown, vowing to intensify its fight against gender-based violence and femicide.
Police confirmed that 2 284 suspects were taken down in a sweeping national crackdown. The arrests were carried out by Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Units across the country.
“Through the relentless work of the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Units, suspects were arrested for crimes that include rape, sexual assault, abduction, attempted rape, and other related offences,” said national police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Amanda van Wyk.
Provinces at a glance
KwaZulu-Natal led with 427 arrests. Gauteng followed with 380. The Eastern Cape recorded 317. These were the provinces with the highest numbers of alleged offenders dragged before the law.
There are 176 FCS Units across South Africa. Each province also has a Serial and Electronic Crime Investigations (SECI) Unit. These specialised teams track sexual crimes, abductions, assaults, missing children, and online abuse.
The police highlighted a string of convictions that sent shockwaves through communities.
In Gauteng, the High Court sentenced 25-year-old Sara Phethe Simiao to two life terms. He was found guilty of raping and murdering six-year-old Amantle Samane in Orlando East.
In the Northern Cape, the Fraserburg Regional Court gave a 37-year-old man four life terms. He repeatedly raped his 13-year-old stepdaughter.
In Limpopo, the Nkowankowa Regional Court jailed Rady Bayiza Makhubele for two life terms and eight years. The 46-year-old lured three minors to his home, raped them, beat them, and forced them to watch pornography.
In KwaZulu-Natal, the Ulundi Regional Court sentenced 43-year-old Sibusiso Khanyile to life imprisonment. He raped a 20-year-old woman in Mahlabathini in 2022.
“These successes are a testament to SAPS’s unwavering commitment to protect women, children, and other vulnerable members of society – not just during Women’s Month, but every day of the year,” said Van Wyk.
Women’s Month may be over. But the police insist the war on GBV continues.
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Caption: Police have arrested more than 2 000 sex offenders during August 2025
