EMPD officers confiscate shop owner’s game machine
The shop owner claims he has not received clarification on why his machine was confiscated.
Kwa-Thema – Freedom Tshabalala claims that EMPD officers took his arcade game machine from his shop, Z4H Gamers, on Tuesday.
Tshabala says he was not in the shop when this happened, but when his employees asked why the machine was being taken, the EMPD officer allegedly said it was unlawful.
However, he claims they did not serve him with documents that indicate the by-law he infringed by having the machine in his shop. He also claims that CCTV footage of the incident shows EMPD officers confiscating the machine.
“I went to the Kwa-Thema Police Station, where one officer informed me I could not get it back because I didn’t have the papers indicating ownership of the machine.
“I told them I bought it from someone at a marketplace, and that person did not give me any papers,” he said. He enquired at Tsakane SAPS where they told him the machine had not been booked in.
He claims he did not receive a clarified response on why the machine was seized.
“Some of the police officers mentioned a Gambling Act, but I did not receive a clarified response,” he added.
African Reporter requested comment from the EMPD and received the following response: “The media inquiry is still being dealt with and as soon as we have gathered the information will revert to you.”
