Undocumented foreigners arrested in crim

Undocumented foreigners arrested in crime operation

01 March 2017

Nine undocumented foreign nationals were arrested in a City of Johannesburg crime blitz in Windsor East and Windsor West in Region B, north of Johannesburg, on Friday February 24.

The eight-hour night crime operation followed a public meeting attended by Member of the Mayoral Committee for Public Safety Cllr Michael Sun, Linden Police Station Commander Lieutenant-Colonel Ahmed Zaieed Musthan, Ward 98 Councillor Beverley Weweje and senior Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) officials early in February.

In that meeting residents had raised concerns about drug abuse, overcrowding, illegal electricity connections, constant noise pollution and illegal street trading in the two areas.

The weekend’s raid started at 8pm on Friday and ended at 4am on Saturday. Those involved included the City’s Citizen Relationship and Urban Management (CRUM) Department, Environmental Health Department, Johannesburg Emergency Management Services, City Power, the South African Police Service and JMPD.

The raid targeted properties on Dukes Avenue, Beatrice Street, Duchesses Avenue, Earls Avenue and Mitchelle Gardens in Windsor East and Queens and Judges streets in Windsor West.

According to Lieutenant-Colonel Mlindeni Luthuli of Linden Police Station, the raid was a success.
“Like all police raids, there will be challenges here and there, with some of the culprits running away and others being repeat offenders.

“In essence, the raid was focused on drugs and enforcement of the City’s by-laws. We also found foreigners with fake documentation. City Power officials disconnected more than 10 flats whose electricity had been illegally connected,” Luthuli said on Tuesday.

CRUM Inspector Mpho Tsepetsi said unemployment and overcrowding were some of the serious problems facing the two areas.

“The original owners of these properties have moved out and rented them out. The tenants, mostly unemployed and non-South Africans, then sub-let the properties, resulting in overcrowding,” Tsepetsi said.