JAMES MAHLOKWANE Police embark on intense compliance operation
POLICING authorities in Tshwane yesterday embarked on an intense operation to enforce compliance with lockdown regulations and combat crime.
Through Operation O kae Molao, they swooped on Pretoria to ensure that people were not continuing to ignore regulations, such as wearing masks and practising physical distancing.
SAPS spokesperson Captain Daniel Mavimbela said police were also taking the opportunity to combat all forms of crime taking place during this time.
The teams headed out with the aim to also hunt and arrest wanted suspects, raid notorious crime hotspots and ensure motorists were following Covid-19 regulations.
The strong SAPS, military police and Tshwane metro police contingent set out from the Lyttelton Police Station in the morning.
Motorists and pedestrians were stunned when the police swiftly closed the intersection of the Old Johannesburg Road and Hendrik Verwoerd Avenue for a stop-and-search in Sarel Baard. They searched cars and informal traders.
Led by Colonel Nishan Moodley of Sunnyside police and Mavimbela, they targeted Rooihuiskraal and Panorama roads in the Reeds, where they checked that motorists were wearing masks and searched cars.
A group of delivery bikers meeting on the side of the road did not escape the wrath of the law.
A wanted suspect posing as an informal trader selling shoe holders dumped his stock, including illegal cigarettes, and fled.
Mavimbela said: “We managed to arrest a total of 180 suspects, including two alleged rapists, while 14 were caught for gender-based related offences.
“A further two suspects were arrested following reports of cases of murder, while a man was arrested for an alleged robbery after he had forcefully gained illegal entry into a house. We achieved further success through the arrest of nine alleged bullies who are believed to have been involved in separate cases of common assault.”
Mavimbela said the Crime Intelligence Unit also contributed to the successes by nabbing five suspects for illegal possession of dagga and drugs.