Major General Anna Sithole addresses crime in Germiston
"We conduct weekly operations in several areas of the province, and they have been successful."
Major General Anna Sithole, the SAPS Ekurhuleni District commissioner, led Operation Shanela in Germiston on October 5.
The operation had two parts. The main operations were carried out in the Germiston policing precincts where SAPS and other law enforcement agencies held roadblocks.
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They investigated illegal mining operations and closed down illegal liquor outlets.
The second part two of the operation included a community imbizo, which was held in Germiston Ext 5 informal settlement where residents shared their grievances with the police.
During her address to the audience, Sithole pleaded with the audience to refrain from opening and closing cases at the police station.
She persisted in urging residents to join patrols and contribute to the community’s battle against crime.
The community raised the problem of underage children found in the taverns as one of their concerns and the problem of unemployment.
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According to Zakariah Khoza, the Ext 5 community is struggling with a lack of infrastructure and unemployment, which has caused several social worries.
“Our community is concerned about alcohol. We have seen young people drinking heavily,” said Khoza.
He was a patroller in 2019 but was unable to continue as Covid-19 caused him to lose his job in 2021.
“I would love to return to my position as a neighbourhood patroller, but we don’t feel safe doing it. To catch criminals, the police have firearms, armoured vehicles and guns. The only thing we have is a torch.
“We must get help from the local government to install street lights. It’s difficult to see what’s going on after dark.”
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Khoza said that since the community loses faith in the police and the court systems, people withdraw their charges after they have been filed.
According to Sithole, the cancellation of cases results in a backlog and statistics that do not accurately reflect the situation on the ground.
After the meeting, Sithole remarked, “We hope that residents will open cases and wait to see them in court.
“House burglaries, contact crime and trio crimes have increased in the Germiston area. This raises concerns as the holiday season draws nearer,” said Sithole.
Sithole congratulated Operation Shanela for its success in the Germiston policing precinct.
She added that during the detective’s suspects tracing operations, 275 suspects were detained for a variety of offences.
“Thirty-four suspects were detained by detectives in the Germiston area, including 21 for contact crimes, four for other major crimes, five for crimes involving police auctions and one for property crime,” said Sithole.
Speaking on the operation’s successes, she added that, “In support of the operation where four people were detained for illegal mining, an illegal mining operation was also carried out in Primrose.
“Four suspects were detained and charged with illegal mining as well as being undocumented. A grinding machine, generator, and penduka were taken from the suspect’s home in the Marathon informal settlement.
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“The following mining equipment was also discovered: five motor pumps, six generators, two 9kg gas bottles, a pick, and one cutting touch.
“Illegal mining is a headache for the police, so we’ve assembled a squad to handle it in the province. We conduct weekly operations in several areas of the province, and they have been successful. We have assisted Germiston Station, which has been classified as a troubled station due to illegal mining.
“On Thursday, 48 suspects were apprehended for being undocumented, four illegal sheebens were closed, and their alcohol was seized.
“Three Toyota Hi-Ace vehicles were discontinued, three suspects were detained for dealing in dagga, one was arrested for possessing a narcotic (Mandrax), and five second-hand stores were closed for non-compliance. A total of 116 traffic fines totalling R38 700 were issued.”
Sithole added that the police in Gauteng are prepared for the holiday season, urging locals to exercise additional caution while handling big sums of cash.
“Stokvel groups are urged to exercise caution when handling cash since thieves frequently target them. In certain cases, the knowledge is given to the criminals by an inside source. Nevertheless, patrol squads will be sent out to the malls, CBD and identified hotspots,” said Sithole.
