They combine the efforts of police and traffic officers, as well as the Hawks, to ensure that citizens abide by the law during the festive season.

Free State MEC for police, roads and transport, Sam Mashini, along with the provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant General Lebeoana Tsumane, handed over 40 patrol vehicles to the different cluster commanders in preparation for the next two months. Mashinini assured residents that they would be safe this festive season, with high police visibility in malls and residential areas.

"You are going to see men and women on the street, not only in this area but across the Free State. That’s why my message is simple, when you enter the Free State which is a province of peace, please observe the law. 

"If you are a visitor, make sure that you get out of this province joyful, so that you can return again. But please make sure that you protect and respect the law."

The operations, which began on 1 November 2016 and will end on the 31 January 2017, have resulted in the arrest of more than 2500 people for various crimes, including the confiscation of alcohol, drugs, firearms, stolen vehicles and properties. Provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant General Lebeoana Tsumane says law enforcement officials in the province will not allow criminals to terrorise the community during their leisure time.

"We will be saturating malls, parking areas. We are also going to deal with people that are drinking in the street, they call it street bashes. 

"We also want to warn the gangsters that are making sure that during the initiation schools they are breeding gangsterism, so we are going to looking at them as well. So generally speaking we will be all over in this province.

- OFM News