Law enforcers clear Secunda CBD of homeless people, illegal immigrants and illegal vendors
It seems however that those suspected of terrorising the women did not feel the brunt of Operation Fiela – at least not as badly as those sleeping on the other sides of the CBD.
SECUNDA – Project Fiela aimed to sweep Secunda’s CBD clean of all homeless people, illegal immigrants and illegal vendors on Thursday, 22 March.
This high density operation was headed by Mr Sipho Mlothswa, Govan Mbeki Municipality’s assistant manager: Compliance and Law Enforcement, and Col Maggie Mbokane from the Secunda Police’s visible policing unit.
Mr Mlotshwa said the operation was a collaborative and integrated approach to stem out lawlessness in the Secunda CBD.
“We are concerned about the drug peddling and dealing, the selling of counterfeit goods, the intimidation and threats towards shopkeepers and the women in the CBD who are being threatened with sexual violence, urinating, drinking and defecating in public and the illegal erection of structures in the CBD.”
Those who took action, included police officials, municipal workers such as health inspectors and traffic officials, as well as some civilians. They were divided into three groups that had to enter the CBD from various angles. The final roundup was in the taxi rank after which the group moved to the area behind the Shell filling station.
“Being homeless is not a crime, however, erecting makeshift structures, pollution of the CBD, sleeping on pavements thereby obstructing the movement of pedestrians and the blocking of entry into shops are forbidden,” Mr Mlotshwa said.
Col Mbokane gave the command to clean up the CBD by removing all illegal structures, bedding and trolleys filled with personal belongings.
Also watch: [VIDEO] Cops clamp down on vagrants in Secunda CBD
The police were met with little physical resistance, but a lot of verbal objections – some pleading, others aggressively swearing at the law enforcers.
The criminal element that the Ridge Times reported on on the front page of 23 March, fled to the nearby taxi rank. Women working in the area around Capitec, Fashion World and First National Bank told the newspaper that these men threatened to rape and kill them if they complain about harassment and intimidation.
These tramps embarked on a personal vendetta against the women by sleeping naked in the doorways of the businesses, and terrorising them with death threats and physical abuse.
According to Ms Kaylene Oudtshoorn, the women eventually had enough and complained to the police recently, but were told not to worry because the homeless men are addicted to Nayope and are therefore incapable of getting erections.
It seems however that those suspected of terrorising the women did not feel the brunt of Operation Fiela, at least not as badly as those sleeping on the other side of the CBD.
The workers moved in on the homeless who were hiding from the pouring rain and cold, seized all their blankets, pillows and cardboards and shopping trolleys containing clothes and even personal documents.
Mr Ampie Venter and his son, Sakkie, live on the street after Mr Venter had lost his job as a miner.
“I have lived in Secunda since 1987. I have all the qualifications, but Sakkie was in a special school.”
They were pleading with the police to give back their few belongings, which included a folder containing a neatly typed CV and a Scripture verse.
The trolleys and confiscated goods were thrown onto a truck and taken to the refuse dump, despite pleas from several people begging to at least remove their ID documents and other personal goods.
Mr Mlotshwa said the process to arrange alternative places of safety for some of the Secunda homeless people began last year and is ongoing. “Govan Mbeki Municipality is again engaging other stakeholders such as the Centre of Hope Church.
“The church offers accommodation and various support options for homeless people. The service is offered with a view to help the “homeless” getting off the street and linking them with their families.”
Mr Mlotshwa said however many of the people do not want to adhere to the church’s rules and return to the street.
The Ridge Times returned to the area near Lewis on Friday morning and found some of the men suspected of harassing the women back on their corner.
