The Metro police came down hard on some Ferndale residents on 12 February for allegedly connecting illegally to municipal services.
Five Section 56 notices for bylaw infringement, which is a summons to appear before a court of law, were issued during operation Buya Mthetho – Bring back the law. The operation is a new multi-departmental operation aimed at enforcing bylaws and bringing the rule of law back to the city.
Executive Mayor Herman Mashaba said should the property owners fail to abide by the instructions of the notices, warrants of arrest would be issued.
Six disconnections were also made at properties that will continue to be monitored to make sure that services are not illegally reconnected.
If they reconnect illegally, the owners will be arrested immediately, Mashaba said.
Since the operation launched in the beginning of February, the City has already arrested six people for illegally reconnecting services that were previously cut off. The mayor said instead of coming forward and making payment arrangements, some residents approached officials to illegally reconnect their services.
On 8 February, a Fordsburg businessman was arrested by the police for attempting to bribe a City official.
Mashaba said that as officials were about to remove bridged meters, the suspect approached the team leader of the revenue department and offered him R10 000 in exchange for new meters. His case has been postponed for a formal bail application.
Mashaba said the operation was essential to bring restore order in Joburg and ‘take it back from the criminal elements such as landlords who neglect to pay municipal bills, criminals that hijack buildings and those who break down communities by running illegal alcohol outlets’.
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