Foreign nationals cried xenophobia when different departments of the City of Johannesburg led by the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) pounced on them last week Wednesday.
JMPD, SAPS, Health and Emergency Services of the city ran an operation targeting non-compliant scrap metal businesses in Jeppestown. This included panel beaters.
Two cars that were said to have VIN numbers tampered with were confiscated during the operation.
Other cars were confiscated for being panel-beaten on the public road.
JMPD spokesperson Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar said the equipment that was used to spray and weld the vehicles were among the items that were confiscated.
“There were a number of warnings and fines that were issued to these businesses. Some were spraying cars without proper ventilation. Some had submitted building plans that were corresponding with the structures they have. Some were operating illegally,” he said.
“We have identified lots of illegal activities in these scrapyards. We have already confiscated vehicles that had their engine numbers and chassis numbers that didn’t correspond. That is very questionable. We have impounded some of the cars to do thorough investigations because there is a possibility that they were stolen,” he said.
He said this operation was part of the city’s entities working together.
Speaking on behalf of panel beaters in Jeppestown, Mr Friday Adebayo said they were not contravening any by-laws.
“They just took our cars and our tools. When we asked them what was going on they said it was about crime. We are not doing crime here. We buy cars that were involved in accidents and the bank repossessed. We fix them here and sell them on. We do not see how we could be wrong on that,” he said.
He said this was inconveniencing their business.
“If they do not want us to work here they should tell us straight. We employ people. We contribute to the economy. They complain about the economy but they are crippling it by closing us down,” Mr Adebayo said.
City of Johannesburg’s MMC for Community Safety Clr Sello Lemao said the operation was to make sure that the city was safe and that there was law and order.
“There have been reports that people are operating illegally. There are also reports that the stolen vehicles are processed in these illegal and sometimes in the legal dealers. The cars are dismantled here. It’s all about lawlessness. We have vowed that we will make this a city to live in where lawlessness will not be allowed,” he said.
Clr Lemao said this was part of Operation Kemolao, which says law and order has to be adhered to.
He said more operations like this would follow.
“We have got a report from City Power that it is losing almost R40-million per year just on cable theft. That is the taxpayer’s money that could be utilised better in advancing service delivery for our people. We need to rid our city of these challenges so that our people get proper service delivery.”
Jeppe SAPS acting station commander Lieutenant Colonel Lindiwe Simelane said that the operation would also help address the vehicle-related crimes, which include burglaries, house break-ins and hijackings.
“Our investigations reveal that most of the stolen goods are sold in these scrapyards and the second-hand shops. We want to close those that are operating illegally and those who are involved in the illegal dealings,” she said.
She said it was also part of the recovery plan of the SAPS.
Lt Col Simelane said those who bought stolen property would be arrested too.
“You will be arrested and charged with possession of stolen property. You are likely to be sentenced to between three to five years in prison. You will also have a criminal record,” she said.
