Pretoria – More than 1 000 suspects were on Monday scheduled to appear in different courts in Gauteng province after they were arrested at the weekend for crimes including murder, rape, dealing in drugs, robberies and driving under the influence of alcohol.
“Police in Gauteng closed more than 40 unlicensed liquor outlets in Tshwane and other parts of Gauteng that include Ekurhuleni and West Rand. Police have this past week raided wanted suspects for serious and violent crimes and gender-based violence, arrested criminals through intelligence information and tip-offs where unlicensed firearms were seized,” said Gauteng police spokesperson Captain Kay Makhubele.
He said a total of 1 084 suspects had been arrested in operations by the South African Police Service, backed by the South African National Defence Force, the National Traffic Police, Gauteng Traffic Police, metro police units, private security companies and the department of home affairs.
“In Tshwane district, over 280 suspects were arrested over the past weekend for various crimes including 10 suspects arrested for selling alcohol without valid licences, rape, possession of unlicensed firearms and blue lights, assault and other serious and violent crimes,” said Makhubele.
“Meanwhile in Ekurhuleni district over 301 suspects were arrested, 12 for drunk driving and others were nabbed for failing to follow regulations of Covid-19, possession of suspected stolen property and theft. In Sedibeng district 71 suspects were arrested during the operation.”
He said over 199 suspects were arrested in Gauteng’s West Rand, and over 100 were nabbed in Johannesburg for various crimes including possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition, rape, assault. Numerous liquor outlets were raided by police after they failed to close doors at the time stipulated in the Covid-19 lockdown regulations.
On July 25, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that South Africa was moving to a less strict adjusted level 3, which means restaurants could reopen and alcohol sales resumed under strict conditions.
The sale of alcohol from retail outlets for off-site consumption is permitted between 10 am and 6 pm from Monday to Thursday. Alcohol sales for on-site consumption are permitted as per licence conditions up to 8 pm.
African News Agency (ANA)