No holiday for criminals as Saps unleashes festive season crime crackdown [VIDEOS]

Police said said the festive season should be defined by celebration and safety rather than violence and criminality. No holiday for criminals this year. That was the warning from the South African Police Service (Saps) as it launched its National Safer Festive Season 2026/2027 Operations, an intelligence-driven, nationwide crime-fighting plan aimed at protecting holidaymakers, securing key transport routes, and disrupting organised criminal networks. Launching the operation at KwaBokweni Stadium in Mpumalanga on Monday, Acting National Commissioner Lieutenant-General Puleng Dimpane said the festive season should be defined by celebration and safety rather than violence and criminality. Festive season “The festive season must be a time of joy, not tragedy; togetherness, not violence; and economic opportunity, not exploitation by criminals,” Dimpane said. She described the launch as more than an annual policing initiative, calling it “a decisive demonstration of operational readiness, institutional accountability and our unwavering commitment to public safety”. Five-pillar strategy Dimpane said the Saps would deploy a five-pillar strategy focusing on high-density policing, combating serious and organised crime, road safety enforcement, the protection of tourism destinations and public spaces and stronger partnerships with communities. The operation comes amid heightened security demands, with SAPS also preparing for the local government elections on 4 November. Senior police management will conduct readiness assessments across provinces to evaluate security plans, intelligence coordination and available resources. Coastal provinces Particular attention will be given to coastal provinces, popular tourism destinations, busy transport corridors and ports of entry, where large numbers of holidaymakers and travellers are expected during the festive season. Police will intensify operations against organised crime syndicates, armed robberies, vehicle hijackings, illegal firearms, illicit liquor networks, human trafficking and smuggling, while also strengthening interventions to tackle gender-based violence and femicide. “Our mission is clear: every person must be able to travel, work, worship, celebrate and return home safely,” Dimpane said. Police presence The acting commissioner said law enforcement agencies would maintain a strong presence at major ports of entry, airports, railway stations, taxi ranks and key transport corridors throughout the festive period. “We will strengthen border security, disrupt cross-border criminality and protect travellers, businesses and tourists throughout the festive period,” Dimpane said. #sapsHQ [WATCH: SAFER FESTIVE SEASON LAUNCH] The South African Police Service (SAPS) is launching the #SaferFestiveSeason in Kwabokweni, Mpumalanga province. The #SAPS has various units to combat different types of crime. The displays from three units captivated the enchanted crowd. First up was the Tactical Response Team (TRT), affectionately known as “Amabherethe” loosely translated as “berets” since they wear berets and are known for their tactical approach when attending to crime scenes. These operators are specially trained and in this display, they demonstrate how a takedown of ATM bombing suspects is conducted. Public Order Policing also demonstrated their crowd management skills in how they handle protesters. Our K9 unit also demonstrated how well-trained our four-legged paw enforcement members are at sniffing out various items to help in the fight against crime. #PartnershipPolicing #PoliceVisibility #CrimePrevention #CommunityPolicing #SaferCommunities ST– SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) October 12, 2026 Warning “To those intending to exploit and disrupt the festive season, Saps is prepared, our resources are mobilised, our partnerships are strengthened, and our members are ready to act decisively within the law,” she said. Police operations Deputy National Commissioner for Policing Lieutenant-General Tebello Mosikili echoed the message, stressing that the launch signalled the beginning of intensified policing operations nationwide. “To our commanders and operational teams, the launch today is not the end of our preparations; it is the beginning of the execution of our mandate,” Mosikili said. “Let us ensure that the plans developed are translated into disciplined, visible and effective policing on the ground.” Working together Mosikili urged communities to work closely with law enforcement, saying public cooperation is essential to the success of the festive season safety campaign. “Report crime, share information with the police, protect the vulnerable and allow the law to take its course,” he said. In a final message aimed at reassuring South Africans, Mosikili declared: “We are ready. Our plans are in place, our members are deployed, our intelligence structures are operational, and our partnerships are strengthened.” The nationwide operation will run throughout the festive season.