Following the recent reports of criminal activities within the vicinity of the Kliptown Railway Station precinct, Gauteng MEC for Community Safety, Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane and MEC for Roads and Transport, Ismail Vadi, opted to partake in the Passenger’s Safety Operation around the station.

Various law enforcement agencies and members of patrol organisations were also part of the operation.

The inspection started this morning from 1 am by the South African Police Servic (SAPS), Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) and Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA).

“This whole corridor from Vereeniging to Johannesburg is a highly problematic corridor for PRASA. A number of problems have been experienced, such as the vandalism of infrastructure, illegal connections in the area and crime.

“We, therefore, launched this inspection to promote and to ensure safety in the area,” said Vadi.

He further urged the community to work with them in protecting the infrastructure, combatting crime in the area and that they will work together with City Power to make sure that the households that are connected illegally be disconnected.

“There were quite a number of arrests that were made. About 11 people were arrested for drug dealing, and three suspects for cellphones theft this morning.

MEC Nkosi-Malobane addressing members of the media on railway passenger's safety operation successes. #TakeCharge @GautengProvince pic.twitter.com/a1X90iqi33

— GP Department of Community Safety (@GP_CommSafety) August 30, 2017

“These are some of the things that we believe help in tackling crime. We have agreed with the team that the operations should be sustainable,” said Nkosi-Malobane.

“Residents must participate in everything we do, it is their children who get killed, it is their children who buy these illegal substances, so they need to be engaged in these processes of creating a safe environment for the community,” she added.

Nkosi-Malobane also condemned with the strongest possible terms the issue of illegal connections in and around the area and promised to make sure they are removed.

However, some residents are not happy with the removal of the illegal connections and said that they consider the whole operation pathetic.

Some residents claim that the government officials did not hear the community’s side of the story and that it was never communicated to the community leaders that there would be an inspection taking place.

MEC Nkosi-Malobane and MEC Ismail Vadi doing a walkabout in Kliptown train station precinct. #TakeCharge pic.twitter.com/Wf3FrlaaHs

— GP Department of Community Safety (@GP_CommSafety) August 30, 2017

Social Media Platforms for News:

Twitter: @SowetoUrban, Facebook: Soweto Urban News, Instagram: @SowetoUrban

News site 1: Westside-Eldos Urban News, News site 2: Soweto Urban News