Krugersdorp - Municipalities in South Africa must shut down buildings operating as brothels and drug dens, Police Minister Fikile Mbalula said on Monday.
"Rustenburg was burning and we need to act, what I am saying is that let us not allow our township, our areas to burn down on things we can resolve, let us resolve them," he said.
Mbalula was on Gauteng's West Rand to report back to residents on what had happened since their protest a week ago.
Residents shut down Krugersdorp in protest against prostitution and drug trafficking, they burnt down suspected brothels and drug dens.
On Monday, one of the buildings used as a brothel was demolished while Mbalula present. He said more houses would be closed down or demolished through the Mogale City municipality.
"What you see happening behind us is a starting point, old dilapidated buildings which is a general issue in South Africa in municipalities, we said those building must be destroyed," he said.
He said all buildings used for criminality would be closed down in Krugersdorp and surrounding areas.
"We mean business...We want to warn the community that illegality must not be met by illegality. It means people must protest, if they did not protest we would not have been activated to take decisive actions," Mbalula said.
"Now we have acted because the community have raised issues. We equally urge ourselves and the leadership in the municipality, let us not wait too long for things that we see are wrong happening in our space. We must be decisive in ensuring that wrong doing that communities are complaining about are brought to book."
Police Minister says they have found out that police were involved in the criminal activities.
Video: Molaole Montsho/ANA
Onlookers ululated as the a bulldozer crushed down the wall of the house operating as a brothel.
"I know he will come back, Minister Mbalula keeps his promises, I am happy that building is down," said David Mthembu.
Mthembu lives two houses away from the alleged brothel.
"We are so happy, what was happening in that house was not good, thank you Mbalula, our sisters were kept as sex slaves," he said.
Blankets, shoes and mattresses were found in some of the rooms, condoms were also littered the rooms.