Johannesburg - Two suspects have been arrested in Johannesburg's notorious Hillbrow neighbourhood after police recovered protective gear used by the South African Police Service (SAPS) public order police (POP) unit at a block of flats.
At least 24 SAPS helmets, 12 SAPS riot shields, and drugs, including dagga, were found in a storeroom at the Cape Algulhas block of flats on Friday, Gauteng police spokesperson Brigadier Mathapelo Peters said.
"Police earlier in the day conducted an 'O Kae Molao' operation where a number of buildings in Hillbrow had been flagged as generating high volumes of contact crime. Other buildings visited were Kiribili, Eastgate, Florence Nightingale, and O'Riley - and police arrested 22 undocumented foreign nationals, two suspects for possession of and dealing in drugs," said Peters.
"Two illegal liquor outlets were closed and liquor [was] confiscated. Three more suspects were arrested for business robbery at Joubert [Park]."
Police recovered protective gear used by the South African Police Service (SAPS) public order police (POP) unit at a block of flats. Photo: SAPS
Gauteng police commissioner Lt-Gen Elias Mawela called for an urgent investigation by a team of seasoned investigators at provincial level to establish how the SAPS protective gear came to be in the wrong hands.
"The extent to which criminals have now gone to undermine the authority of the state is very disturbing. No effort will be spared in finding out the source of supply, pending confirmation of whether indeed the gear is state-issued or replicas. Whatever the case, we believe the intention to own state property is still criminal," said Mawela.
In an unrelated incident in Douglasdale in Johannesburg on Friday police also found, among other items, police rank insignia and "military-style" items.
Two suspects have been arrested in Johannesburg's notorious Hillbrow neighbourhood after police recovered protective gear used by the South African Police Service (SAPS) public order police (POP) unit at a block of flats. Photo: SAPS
"A man, believed to be a bodybuilder, was arrested after firing shots at the police. The suspect is alleged to have fled a crime scene in Honeydew after shooting and injuring a taxi driver in an alleged road rage incident. The taxi driver was rushed to hospital, while no police officers were injured," said Peters.
"Three firearms were recovered - two pistols and a shotgun, about 800 [rounds of] ammunition of different calibre firearms [R5, pistols, AK47, and shotgun], magazines, explosives, and other dangerous weapons. Further investigations will be conducted in relation to both the Hillbrow and Douglasdale arrests to establish possible linkage to previous crime," Peters said.