Video: More crime hits Tshwane streets since lockdown level drop
The "O Kae Molao" operation was held in Pretoria Central and Pretoria West, Atteridgeville as they are currently the epicentres’ of Covid-19 in Tshwane.
More crime is hitting the streets of Tshwane since the start of level 3 lockdown, Gauteng provincial police observed this week.
Gauteng Provincial Commissioner Lt-General Elias Mawela said: “Since we have dropped to alert level number 3, criminality is beginning to pick up.”
He said police had seen that Pretoria Central, Pretoria West and Atteridgeville were also currently the epicentres of Covid-19 in Tshwane.
Other areas where roadblock operations were held were at Marabastad, the N1 near Kgosi Mampuru II correctional centre and other parts of Tshwane.
Gauteng MEC for community safety Faith Mazibuko, who forms part of the operation O Kae Molao in Pretoria Central and Pretoria West, said the operation was yielding great successes.
Operation O Kae Molao was held across Tshwane aiming to raise awareness of Child Protection Week, enforcing level 3 regulations, and to attend to criminality happening in the Gauteng province.
She said two men were apprehended in Pretoria Central, near Marabastad. They were from Hillbrow.
The arrested men were travelling with an alleged stolen vehicle, false Uber and Bolt permits, cigarettes, rizla and a large amount of marijuana.
“They were transporting two large compressed bags of marijuana to Ga-Rankuwa.”
Mazibuko said the men were allegedly heading to Dr George Mukhari academic hospital in Ga-Rankuwa.
“Children of Ga-Rankuwa die from drugs because of people like these men try to take advantage of the lockdown.”
She said the estimated value was still yet to be determined, however, “we estimate that it is about R700 000 worth of marijuana, called swazi dagga” that was confiscated.
Mazibuko said the marijuana would be weighed at the police station and further investigations will take place.
She said in level 3 of the lockdown, stop-and-search operations would continue.
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Police said the men would also be charged with dealing dagga, due to the large quantity found in their possession.
The arrest formed part of many arrests.
Police said in Pretoria West, a man was also arrested with a positively identified stolen vehicle.
Meanwhile in Marabastad a man was arrested with counterfeit goods.
Other motorists and passengers were found with alcohol and tobacco products, while others were arrested for drunken driving, confiscated fake branded goods and 30 taxis being impounded for not having permits.
Police said this was just a start to the operations.
“We are going to spend the whole day in Tshwane, hopping from one place to another.”
The Gauteng police O Kae Molao operations were usually held on Thursday.
“However, operations started a day earlier, whereby we were searching for the most-wanted suspects.”
Over 666 wanted suspects were already apprehended by police.
“Over 70 of those were arrested for crimes against women and children.”
Police reminded residents that this week was Child Protection Week.
Children, who were victims of crime, are a huge focus for them during these operations, it said.
Police said they started the operation in Tshwane as this was the capital city of the country.
“It must be protected with all resources that we have.”
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