Police crackdown on illegal activity in Sophiatown
A number of agencies took to the streets in a crackdown on crime
Operation Okae Molao continued its crackdown on illegal activity in Sophiatown, Westbury, and Langlaagte last week.
Led by the provincial commissioner for Gauteng, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela, divisional commissioner Lieutenant General Khosi Senthumule, and Johannesburg district commissioner, Major General Max Masha the evening’s sting was successful by all accounts.
The multi-disciplinary team included the police, JMPD, home affairs, immigration, Tracker, and others.
The MEC for Community Safety Faith Mazibuko also participated and joined teams who began the operation by searching people and vehicles at a roadblock in Sophiatown.
Checks were carried out as authorities looked for stolen vehicles, drugs, unlicenced firearms, illegal migrants, drunk drivers are more.
The area is notorious for gang-related violence with Mawela saying this has reduced following Minister of Police Bheki Cele’s instruction to deploy additional manpower to Westbury.
He told the Northcliff Melville Times that following this intervention over 21 whistle-blowers have come forward and are now in the witness protection programme.
Sophiatown Police Stations spokesperson Captain TJ de Bruyn said the operation yielded the following successes:
- Poss of suspected stolen goods – 1
- Pointing of a firearm – 2
- Warrants of arrest – 2
- Possession of drugs – 7
- Shoplifting – 1
- Failure to comply with the second-hand goods act – 2
- Dealing in drugs – 1
- Drunk driving – 9
- Illegal Immigrants – 39
- Possession of stolen motor vehicle – 1
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