The national police commissioner of South Africa hosted the commissioner of the Angola National Police on a seven-day working visit in January 2024. Angola’s police force wanted to share insight and knowledge on how the South African Police Service prevents and tackles transnational organized crime and emerging threats.
South African Gen. Fannie Masemola hosted the delegation led by Angola National Police Commissioner Gen. Arnaldo Manuel Carlos.
The visit is a continuation of a longstanding partnership that was fostered in 2017. The two police agencies signed a memorandum of understanding to enhance working relations to prevent and combat cross-border crimes such as drug smuggling, human trafficking and mineral theft.
The Angolan delegation included senior officers and those responsible for Angola’s Criminal Investigation Service, narcotics investigations unit, environmental and natural resources investigations unit, and Angolan Interpol.
The Angolan police shared insights with South African police detectives, crime intelligence officers, experts from the Forensic Science Laboratory, Police Emergency Services and the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, commonly known as the Hawks.
The Angolan delegation also studied South Africa’s Operation Shanela, which consists of regular stop searches, roadblocks, vehicle checkpoints and high-visibility patrols. The operation includes the tracing of wanted suspects with a focus on murder and rape and compliance inspections at liquor outlets and secondhand goods dealers.
South African police want to “share knowledge and expertise with our counterparts with the aim of also ensuring that we benefit through joint cross-border operations between the two countries,” Masemola said.