WATCH: Two arrested, others on the run in connection with hijacked Hillbrow building

Two people have been arrested in connection with a building in Hillbrow that was hijacked by four individuals for over 20 years.

The suspects were handcuffed during an operation led by the City of Johannesburg’s Group Forensic and Investigation Services Unit (GFIS) the newly launched JMPD Tactical Reaction Unit, police and other agencies.

The group conducted a joint operation to successfully recover the hijacked Claridge Court building at the corner of Wolmaraans and Leyds street in Hillbrow inner city Johannesburg on Friday.

Watch: Johannesburg Public Safety MMC Mgcini Tshwaku speak about the hijacked building in Hillbrow.

♦️HAPPENED YESTERDAY ♦️

Public Safety MMC @MTshwaku was at Claridge Court yesterday alongside @JoburgMPD and Hillbrow @SAPoliceService. The building was recovered from hijackers and the process of returning it to its rightful owner is owner is underway. pic.twitter.com/Wkc6BWHgz6

— COJ People’s MMC Public Safety (@PublicSafetyMMC) January 27, 2024

Hijacked building

Johannesburg Public Safety MMC Mgcini Tshwaku said the rest of the hijackers fled the scene when confronted by the law enforcement agencies.

“This privately owned building had been hijacked by four individuals for over 20 years, and throughout these years, the rightful owner, Mr David Phahladira, with the assistance of his children made numerous attempts to recover his building. Yesterday, the city’s GFIS Unit in partnership with Hillbrow Saps and the JMPD TRU managed to arrest two of the hijackers and recover and handover the building to its owner.”

Tshwaku called the recovery of the building a landmark victory in the war against hijacked buildings and a step in the right direction towards reclaiming the inner city from “lawlessness and the criminality of hijacking buildings.”

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Deeds office fingered

“We are making progress as the city in terms of getting rid of hijackers and we will reclaim all hijacked buildings from these criminal syndicates. There has been allegations that Vermaak Attorneys, and Jan Van De Bos are working with the Masters of the Gauteng High court to get frivolous court orders and are getting preferential treatment where matters of court roll are concerned.”

Tshwaku claims the deeds office has also been fingered, as ownerships are changed without the knowledge of owners.

The two  arrested individuals are expected to appear at Hillbrow Magistrates court on Monday.

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