Over 1600 arrested across Gauteng
Police in Gauteng have arrested about 1,669 suspects for various offences across the province during last weekend’s Safer Festive Operation ‘O Kae Molao’.
The Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Elias Mawela led the operation that was held in Booysen and Diepkloof policing precincts, Johannesburg district.
Other operations were held at the same period across all five districts in the province.
The operations in Johannesburg district have resulted in the arrest of 501 suspects.
The multi-disciplinary operations were joined by Johannesburg Metro Police, Gauteng Traffic and stakeholders from the Department of Home Affairs, Department of Community Safety, Booysen and Diepkloof Local Councillors, Community Policing Forum and patrollers as well as private security, Tracker and Fidelity through the Eyes and Ears Project.
“Tracker assisted the police with advanced technological equipment at the roadblocks to detect stolen/hijacked vehicles while Fidelity had deployed one of their helicopters and a drone to assist the police on the ground,” said police spokesperson Brigadier Brenda Muridili.
The police in the City of Ekurhuleni arrested 462 suspects in Vosloorus wherein 15 of these were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol and six illegal shebeens were closed.
In Sedibeng district, the multiple operations that were conducted resulted in the arrest of 198 suspects for offences such as drunken and driving, assault GBH, sexual offences and possession of drugs.
The West Rand district on the other hand managed to arrest 188 suspects including six for rape, murder and attempted murder.
Tshwane district’s weekend operation resulted in the arrest of 320 suspects for different crimes. Thirty illegal shebeens were closed and 609 650 ml of liquor was seized.
The Provincial Commissioner has commended the commitment of all stakeholders involved in Safer Festive operations in an effort to reduce the levels of crime during this period.
“We will continue with operation O Kae Molao because we know that criminals do not care that it is festive season, they continue to cause havoc in our communities. I am glad that we have happy boots on the ground as our multi-disciplinary forces achieve commendable successes,” said Lieutenant General Mawela.
All the arrested suspects will appear before the various Magistrates Courts within Gauteng soon.