The South African Police Service’s Safer Festive Season Operation is yielding much-needed results.
There were five traffic fines, to the value of R3 500, issued during an operation in Waterfall on 20 December.
This was held in a joint effort with law enforcement agencies from the Johannesburg North Cluster.
The operation, which aims to clamp down on crime, will continue with roadblocks and patrols until January at malls and crime hotspots across the northern suburbs.
The head of visible policing at the Midrand Police Station, David Mahloromela, said the festive season operation was a success.
“The parade is a cluster integrated operation between the JMPD [Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department], Protection Security Services, mall security, the K9 Unit and the flying squad.
“Until January 2019, we will be going to all malls and shopping centers in the northern area of Johannesburg.”
More than 100 officers will conduct police visibility operations at shopping centres in Alexandra, Bramley and Sandton.
During the operation in Midrand, more than 300 vehicles were searched on major roads in and around the suburb.
“One vehicle was taken off the road due to its unroadworthy state. In addition to the stop-and-search operations, we performed roadblocks in problem areas such as Glen Austin, Noordwyk and President Park. These areas continue to show high levels of car theft, home and business robberies,” said Mahloromela.
The head of visible policing also flagged the areas surrounding Erand Gardens as a crime zone.
Mahloromela concluded that this operation would make sure that the community feels they are safe.
“We want the community to always have it in the back of their minds that wherever they go, the police will be there, ready to protect them. This operation is not just for the festive season, it happens throughout the year. We spend the year conducting various operations such as ‘Buya Mthetho’ in order to increase visible policing at crime hotspots, at all malls and shopping centres.”
