December 19, 2005
By Anish Abraham
JOBURG has taken a firm stand against crime, with officers from metro police and the South African Police Service (SAPS) conducting stop-and-search roadblocks in several areas in the inner city on Thursday, 15 December.
The two crime-busting forces were working in partnership as part of the City Safety Strategy, which aims to reduce crime by targeting certain "hotspots" identified in the strategy.
"This is just a part of a series of operations that we have been running since November and it will continue into the new year," said Amien Cassiem, a Geographic Focus Area co-ordinator for the strategy.
Metro police and the SAPS conduct a stop-and-search operation at the corner of Bree and Claim streets
While most of the joint operation have focussed on the country's largest inner city, the strategy has also identified Moroka, the Greater Ellis Park area, Orange Grove and Norwood.
Nazira Cachalia, the strategy programme manager, said they hoped to focus on certain identified areas, try to stop criminal activity there and then spread out to other areas.
The programme would continue after the end of the festive period, albeit with a decreased intensity.
"Our aims are to reduce crime, increase the feeling of safety in the inner city and to bolster the public's confidence in our law enforcement agencies," she said.
"We want the inner city to be in an orderly state."
According to metro police spokesperson Edna Mamonyane, Thursday's operations started at 2am, when the joint force targeted the George Goch hostel. Criminals often hid proceeds from their crimes there.
More hostels in Soweto would be targeted - in the early hours of the morning to have the maximum effect.
"This is not just about crime prevention, but also about finding illegal firearms and illegal substances. We will also conduct random searches of people near taxi ranks as this is when crime peaks," she said.
Apart from the SAPS, metro police have also been working with officials from the Department of Home Affairs and members of the Gauteng department of economic affairs' liquor licensing unit.
Cassiem said that since operations began in November, more than 50 illegal immigrants had been apprehended and scores of people had been fined for traffic offences and by-law contraventions.
"We also shut down five illegal taverns, confiscated hundreds of litres of alcohol and arrested their owners."
Despite the congested streets on Thursday, caused by the roadblocks and people leaving for their annual holiday, Mamonyane said the operation was done for a good cause.
"We urge the public to understand that we have their safety in mind," she explained.
Apart from the operations being conducted as part of the City Safety Strategy, metro police will also work with the SAPS in joint operations in other parts of the city.
"We will leave no stone unturned," said Mamonyane. "We will be all over Johannesburg."
Cassiem said operations would continue into the nights as well, with metro police and the SAPS conducting roadblock checks on major arterial roads across the entire city.
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