Johannesburg - Gauteng police clamped down on criminals over the Christmas weekend and arrested more than 1 340 suspects, including the owner of a popular liquor outlet in Sandton.
Provincial police spokesperson Captain Kay Makhubele said that on Sunday afternoon, the police led multi-disciplinary forces during O Kae Molao and Safer Festive Season operations in all five districts, and that more than 100 suspects were arrested for drunk driving.
The team included members of the SAPS, Johannesburg Metro Police Department and Department of Home Affairs.
Makhubele said operations commenced with a roadblock around Gauteng, where more than 200 illegal immigrants were arrested.
“The police closed down a popular liquor outlet in Sandton which was previously raided during the visit by the Minister of Police, General Bheki Cele, and arrested the owner after it was found to be operating illegally. The place was found packed with patrons who were not observing social distancing and not wearing masks,” he said.
Liquor outlets in Tembisa and Kagiso were closed down over the weekend during an early morning raid in which the police found a shebeen packed with patrons who were also not observing social distancing or wearing masks.
“This shebeen was also operating way after the curfew time. The owners were arrested and liquor confiscated after it was discovered that the outlets were operating without valid licences,” Makhubele said.
The SAPS in the Tshwane district arrested 450 suspects during joint and intensified operations and tracing of wanted suspects. The suspects were detained for serious and violent crimes, including murder and rape.
The police in the West Rand district also collaborated with other law enforcement agencies resulting in the arrest of 268 suspects. Among those arrested were suspects accused of kidnapping, assault with the intent to inflict bodily harm, assault, theft, fraud and rape. In Ekurhuleni, more than 300 suspects were arrested for various offences.
“These arrests were effected at operations that included stops and searches, patrols and roadblocks. Twenty suspects were arrested for possession of drugs, 16 for selling liquor without licences, while others were for numerous serious and violent crimes,” Makhubele said.
He added that in Sedibeng 90 suspects were arrested for crimes that included house robbery, possession of stolen goods, possession of stolen vehicles, theft, contravening of protection order, drunken-driving, domestic violence-related cases, malicious damage to property and dealing in liquor without a licence.
“The arrested suspects will appear in various magistrates’ courts within the province soon,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) announced yesterday that more than 3 000 motorists had been arrested throughout the country for violating traffic regulation since the start of this month. “The majority of suspects (1 328, or 43%) were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. A total of 496 or 16% were arrested for driving speeds above the legal limit,” RTMC said.
The highest number of drunk drivers were caught in Gauteng and Limpopo where about 372 and 342 arrests were made respectively, and the national Traffic Police arrested about 352 motorists.
“The highest speed recorded was on the N1 near Ventersburg where a motorist was caught driving at 242km/h in a 120km zone,” RTMC said.
The organisation said some of the common offences that RTMC noticed involved people driving without licences, producing false documentation, reckless and negligent driving, overloading of goods and operating public transport contrary to the terms and conditions of their operating permit.
“Enforcement will be intensified before and during the New Year’s Day long weekend,” RTMC said.
The Star