Cape town: President Cyril Ramaphosa says Operation Prosper is beginning to yield positive results in the fight against organised crime and violent criminal activity, although he cautioned that it is still too early to make definitive conclusions about the operation's long-term impact. President Ramaphosa was responding to questions from Members of Parliament on a variety of issues, during a question and answer session in the National Assembly on Thursday.
According to South African Government News Agency, President Ramaphosa addressed a question from the Democratic Alliance's George Michalakis on whether the nationwide security initiative had succeeded in meeting its objectives. The President stated that the joint deployment of the South African Police Service and the South African National Defence Force had made 'significant progress' in stabilising crime hotspots across the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, North West, Gauteng, and the Free State.
President Ramaphosa reported more than 1,000 arrests since the start of the operation, with the highest number recorded in the Western Cape at 550 arrests, followed by 238 in the Eastern Cape. Authorities have concentrated on dismantling drug trafficking operations, illegal mining syndicates, and networks linked to serious violent crime.
The President revealed that law enforcement agencies had conducted over 38,000 coordinated operational actions, including roadblocks and tracing operations. These efforts resulted in the seizure of 18 firearms, 792 rounds of ammunition, and 186 explosives. Ramaphosa stated that these interventions had weakened the operational capabilities of criminal networks in the affected communities.
He credited the operation's coordination to the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure, which facilitates integrated planning and daily operational briefings between police and military commanders. Despite the reported successes, President Ramaphosa acknowledged that policing alone would not resolve South Africa's crime crisis.
'While there is tangible progress toward reclaiming territory, stabilising communities and advancing broader security outcomes, we need a government-wide and society-wide effort to prevent crime and address its social and economic causes,' he said. The President emphasized that Operation Prosper would need reinforcement through a broader integrated crime prevention strategy involving all sectors of society and government institutions.
Operation Prosper is part of the government's intensified efforts to combat organised crime, gang violence, illegal mining, and violent criminal activity in key hotspot areas across the country.
