Busted: police raid Sparrow Village

Sparrow Rainbow Village is steeped in controversy once again after a surprise raid by police on Wednesday, August 20 uncovered a myriad of illegal activity at the once revered centre.

According to Florida Police Station Commander, Colonel Amos Tsotsetsi, the police acted on intelligence that was gathered over a period that strongly indicated that illegal activities were taking place in the village.

“We managed to close down an illegal shebeen and confiscate a significant amount of alcohol and some dagga. We arrested the operator of the illegal shebeen,” he says.

Tsotsetsi adds that police also came across several undocumented people, but decided to not arrest them, as most of them had minor children with them in the village.

The village has been the subject of unhappiness within the local community for some time, with various sources speculating that founder and owner, Reverend Doctor Corine McClintock has lost control over the centre and that it is overrun by illegal immigrants and drug dealers.

Roodepoort Record spoke to McClintock about these accusations and the findings of the raid.

McClintock expressed her dismay at the police for showing up at their door unannounced and ‘harassing the residents’.

“This place is a home for our residents, many of them were mere children when they came here. Their parents have since passed away and this is the only stable home they’ve ever known.”

McClintock denies accusations that she is harbouring illegal immigrants, putting the blame for undocumented persons squarely at the door of social workers employed by the city.

“I’ve been trying for years to get identity documents sorted out for residents, but in the past five years, we’ve only managed to get three IDs.”

McClintock says that many of the residents may not appear ill, but that is simply because they are well looked after by the centre’s staff who ensure that they take their medications as prescribed.

“Some of the residents have been in and out of here for years,” she says. “They come here basically at death’s door. We take them to receive the medical care they need and nurse them back to health, only for them to leave again and go off their medication.”

McClintock has accepted that one resident – the one that was arrested – presents a problem since the person is known to sell alcohol and drugs.

“This person has been asked to leave on numerous occasions, only to get extremely ill. We then accept them back and nurse them back to health. Once they are well, they start making trouble again.”

McClintock has accused Crime Prevention Wardens who took part in the raid of stealing money from various people, including one person who is mentally challenged.

She confronted Tsotsetsi with these allegations, upon which he agreed to look into the matter.

The multidisciplinary raid included the police’s infrastructure unit, JMPD, the Department of Social Development, the Department of Home Affairs, a building inspector and the City of Johannesburg’s Planning Department.

The MEC for Community Safety, Faith Mazibuko, Ward 70 Councillor Caleb Finn and representatives from Florida Block Watch and Florida South Residents Association also took part.