A total of 25 people were arrested when local police and the Johannesburg Metro Police Department embarked on a joint operation ‘Bad Buildings’ in Hillbrow on 12 June.
Officers, including the K9 Unit, stormed four dilapidated buildings in Hillbrow and searched the premises on an operation that is expected to spread across Gauteng. Buildings that were raided included Vannin Court, Blue Huize, Stensby Hof and Sandringham building. The aim of the operation was to rid the buildings of criminal elements and contravention of City by-laws.
During the raid, 124 male occupants of the building were taken to Hillbrow Police Station for profiling. Of the 124, 21 were found to be illegal immigrants. Three were arrested for alleged possession of ammunition which allegedly belonging to the police and a home-made rifle while one suspect was arrested for allegedly selling liquor without a license.
Spokesperson for the Hillbrow Police Station Captain Musa Shihambe said, “Those who were cleared after profiling were released while the rest remain in police custody.”
Other items that were found in the buildings included knives, a batch of pills and discs used in police bulletproof vests. All the buildings were in a dire state, with sewage leakages, illegal connection of electricity and rubbish dumped inside the buildings.
Spokesperson for the Metro police Wayne Minnaar said the operation was successful as they managed to identify criminals in possession of illegal ammunition and arrest suspects. “This operation will continue and spread out to other areas of the province targeting bad buildings.”
Vannin Court is one of the buildings that has been earmarked for refurbishment under Mayor Herman Mashaba’s Inner City Revitalisation Programme. The tender for the refurbishment of the building and turning it into low-cost housing was awarded to a family business EGC Properties in January this year. However, construction and relocation of occupants to temporary housing is yet to commence.
What do you think the government should do with dilapidated buildings in Johannesburg?
Related article:
https://northeasterntribune.co.za/228464/beware-danger-illegal-connections/
