West Rand District Police arrested 113 suspects, among them 46 illegal immigrants, during another successful O Kae Molao Operation that was held in Kagiso on Thursday, 18 March.
According to Sergeant Carmen Hendricks, the Randfontein Police spokesperson, the aim of the operation was to ensure that police together with other law-enforcement agencies addressed the root causes of crime, thereby ensuring a safe and secure environment for all people and making sure that the Disaster Management Act Regulations are adhered to, and policing is intensified and rolled out at all times.
Major General Fred Kekana, the West Rand District Police Commissioner emphasised the safety precautions, namely that police members wear masks and sanitize their hands at all times.
Involved in the operation were the South African Police Service, Gauteng Traffic, Mogale Traffic, Community Safety, Department of Correctional Services, Department of Home Affairs, Community Patrollers and Security G4S, and crimes such as robberies, illegal mining, murder, hijacking and attempted murder were addressed.
“The operation started with two roadblocks, the first one on the corner of Dulcie September and Impala Road, and the other on the corner of the M13 and R41 Road in Kagiso,” said Hendricks.
The arrests were made for the following:
• 46 illegal immigrants
• 13 for assault with intend to do grievous bodily harm
• Three for common assault
• Three for common robbery
• Three for truck hijackings and for being in possession of a hijacked truck
• Two for possession of an unlicensed firearm
• Two for possession of a hijacked truck
• Five for housebreaking and theft
• Six for theft
• Two for fraud
• Three for domestic violence related cases
• One for illegal mining
Other crimes included malicious damage to property, dealing with liquor without a license, possession of gold bearing material, contempt of court and drug related cases.
A total of 128 traffic fines were issued to the value of R98 470 and one J534 fine was issued for non-compliance under the Liquor Act the value of R1 500.
“During the operation members received information of a truck with goods hijacked at the R559 Road. They responded swiftly to the scene where they arrested two suspects in a hijacked white Mercedes-Benz truck and recovered all the stolen goods,” said Hendricks.
She added that a silver/ grey Nissan Almera that was used in the crime was found abandoned on scene, and a firearm was recovered.
All arrested suspects will appear in different magistrates’ courts in the District soon.
Major General Fred Kekana, West Rand District Police Commissioner thanked all the members for their hard work.
“Without your diligence and hard work we wouldn’t have been able to make such a big impact,” he concluded.
