The South African Police Service’s new recruits paid dividends to the Alexandra Police Station in the past festive season.
According to station spokesperson Captain Stephen Malatji, the recruits bridge a gap created by retirements, deaths, resignations and other factors.
The success, Malatji said, was aided by 17 trainee officers who joined seasoned officers in arresting 51 suspects in the township for offences under the special mall, stop-and-search and drunk driving operations. “The officers were also assisted by seven new vehicles given to the station particularly for the mall operations where criminals were expected to pry on the high volumes of customers spending stokvel dividends, year’s savings and bonuses.”
“The stop-and-search operations were necessary to thwart ‘tsotsis’ who were on high alert for those they suspected to be carrying huge savings.
“It’s part of our normal operation under Buya Mtheto [bring back the law] to confront crime. Those nabbed in this category were found with various weapons including real and toy guns and knives.”
He added that, among the arrested were 10 suspects in a half-ton truck with thousands of rands worth of copper cables and tools allegedly used in a crime.
Malatji attributed those nabbed for drunk driving to the mood and excess cash floating around. “The mood was of excitement which led to overconsumption of alcohol and temptation to drive while under the influence which was a danger to the public.”
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