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.

During a search, a high-end SUV was found to have several knives which were confiscated. Photo: Emily Wellman Bain.

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.

Provincial Commissioner for Gauteng, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela. Photo: Emily Wellman Bain.

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.

MEC for Community Safety Faith Mazibuko. Photo: Emily Wellman Bain.

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.

A stolen motorbike was discovered during the search. Photo: Emily Wellman Bain.

Sophiatown Police Stations spokesperson Captain TJ de Bruyn said the operation yielded the following successes:

Provincial Commissioner for Gauteng, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela helps check the engine number on a vehicle. Photo: Emily Wellman Bain.
A taxi’s occupants were offloaded where immigration and other checks were carried out. Photo: Emily Wellman Bain.
The scale of the operation was impressive. Photo: Emily Wellman Bain.
The massive roadblock along Main Road in Sophiatown. Photo: Emily Wellman Bain
Lieutenant General Elias Mawela checks a taxi during the operation. Photo: Emily Wellman Bain

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