City swoops on illegal metal dealers
18 February 2016
Eight cars were impounded, five panel beating workshops closed down, 10 people fined amounts of up to R1 500 and several others issued with verbal and written warnings during a massive raid of illegal scrapyards in the eastern parts of Johannesburg yesterday.
The blitz – which involved the participation of the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD), South African Police Service (SAPS), Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA), City Power, the City’s Environmental Health Department, and the Johannesburg Emergency Management Services (EMS) – was part of Operation Ke Molao (It’s the Law).
The joint operation, spearheaded by the City of Johannesburg’s Member of the Mayoral Committee for Public Safety Councillor Sello Lemao, was part of an initiative to bring to an end the widespread vandalism and theft of the City’s infrastructure, including traffic light cables, manhole covers, guard rails, road barriers, street name poles, steel grid inlets, steel reinforcements inside kerb inlets tops and fencing posts, which are sold to unscrupulous metal dealers for their copper value.
It is estimated that the City loses R250-million a year to vandalism and theft of its infrastructure as well as illegal electricity connections.
Led by Superintendent Trinity Bore of the Region F Cluster, and JMPD Spokesperson Superintendent Wayne Minnaar, the operation targeted illegal scrap metal dealers and panel beating and spray painting workshops in Fawcus and betty Streets in Jeppestown.
“Stolen cables are sold to illegal scrapyards. Businesses and public continue to suffer as a result of these illegal activities,” MMC Lemao said, adding that unregistered panel beaters posed a health risk to themselves and the public."
“The theft of electrical cables amounts to millions of rands every year. Therefore, an operation of this magnitude is necessary and will be executed on a regular basis. We’ve to maintain law and order in the city. This is a national crisis and we’re concerned about such lawlessness,” MMC Lemao said.
A convoy of 50 cars descended on Jeppestown, sealing off blocks housing several spray painting and panel beating workshops. Sunny Orukpe, of Osas Auto Mechanics, was one of the businesspeople whose workshops were raided. He was issued with three fines totalling R2 500 for “illegal parking, creating a public health nuisance and conducting business without a certificate”.
Kate Dinale, a senior environmental health official, said the state of the workshop and the toilets was shocking and appalling. In Maritzburg Street, illegal spray painting equipment and gas cylinders were removed and fines issued. The confiscated items were loaded onto waiting trucks for safekeeping until their owners complied with applicable City bylaws or after they had acquired the necessary permits to operate and paid the fines.
“Some of them are repeat offenders. That’s why we’re closing them down. They have already received verbal and written notices and fines for failing to comply with the notices,” she said EMS’s Station Commander, Molly Thobejane.