Metro police arrest 19 immigrants during by-law operation
Additional operations were carried out in Soshanguve, Mamelodi and Cullinan.
Inner city residents may see an effort to make the CBD safer after 19 undocumented immigrants were arrested and two businesses closed down recently following a by-law enforcement effort in the area.
12 vehicles were also impounded for contravening the National Road Traffic Act and 32 Section 56 infringement notices were issued for contravening the Business Act, Solid Waste Act and Fire Safety Act.
These operations form part of the Rea Spana programme which is focused on reclaiming the city through law-enforcement.
The January 24 operation followed a similar one in the CBD the previous week led by TMPD Chief Yolanda Faro and Tshwane Mayor, Dr Nasiphi Moya alongside fellow metro and police officials.
“Two weeks ago we launched a programme that is called Reclaiming Our City because of the crime that is happening. The level of lawlessness in the CBD including Sunnyside and Pretoria West is unacceptable. We can’t just carry on like it’s business as usual. We then promised the residents that at least once a week we would be in the CBD and clean it out, this is our third operation. We did say to residents, don’t anticipate how we come, sometimes we can come in the morning, sometimes during the day and sometimes at night. We chose this night because a lot of crime happens during the last weekend of the month, people are getting paid, we have a lot of drugs and dealers collecting their monies from addicts,” Moya said.
The operation also had teams in areas such as Soshanguve and Mamelodi. In Region 5, in the Cullinan Refilwe township, businesses were inspected resulting in three shops being closed down for contravening the Business and Fire Safety Acts. An additional 26 Section 56 notices were also issued.
“Every week and every day there are operations of this nature taking place somewhere in Tshwane. That is very important for us, because we don’t only want these operations to take place when the political executives are involved. When we launched this project two weeks ago, we made a promise to the residents of the CBD to deliver their city back to them. Whether it’s clean-ups, delivering services, raiding hijacked buildings, or arresting undocumented persons, that is exactly what we are going to do. But even when we are not there, these operations will continue,” Moya said.
Watch here:
I’ve been asked many times when I’ll be going to Sunnyside for the Reclaim Our City operation. Tonight we pounce! @CityTshwane pic.twitter.com/jCRu968IdR
— Dr Nasiphi Moya (@nasiphim) January 24, 2025
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