The South African Police Service’s multi-disciplinary Operation Basadi in Limpopo has nabbed scores of suspects, among them over 100 undocumented foreign nationals.
Operation Basadi is a police battalion comprising women in blue who were on the ground combating crime during August, which is commemorated as Women’s Month.
The sting operation resulted in the arrest of several suspects for crimes ranging from murder to attempted murder.
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Also, those who committed assault, possessed unlicensed firearms, robberies with aggravating circumstances, drug trafficking, and gender-based violence-related crimes were not sparred.
Leading from the front during the female anti-crime campaign, provincial police commissioner Lieutenant-General Thembi Hadebe said the operation yielded positive results in all five districts of the province.
“Operation Basadi was a cohesive law-enforcement collaboration to assert the authority of the state,” said Hadebe
She said the operation aimed at restoring rule of law and order. This is why it dealt decisively with crime, especially at identified crime hotspots.
“The operation had a significant impact on reducing crimes such as cross-border crimes, drug trafficking and sexual offences, among others,” she said.
During the operation, police officials confiscated substantial quantities of illegal firearms and ammunition, drugs, liquor, and stolen properties.
“The operation employed a combination of tactics, including roadblocks, high visibility, tracing of wanted suspects, and raiding of liquor outlets,” she said.
Working in tandem with female traffic officers, Operation Basadi also penalised those who contravened road traffic laws.
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The campaign coincided with another effective set-up, Operation Shanela, which arrested 161 foreign nationals for contravening the Immigration Act.
About 20 suspects were arrested for possession of drugs, 11 for sexual offences among the 698 who were thrown behind bars.
