Police arrested suspects over the weekend for contravening the Disaster Management Act adjusted alert level three lockdown regulations across the five Districts in Gauteng.
The Provincial Commissioner of Police in Gauteng, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela led the O Kae Molao operations in Vanderbijlpark over the weekend. Lieutenant General Elias Mawela was joined by Deputy Provincial Commissioner of Policing, Major General Tommy Mthombeni, other SAPS senior management and senior officers from other law enforcement agencies on Saturday, 23 January 2021. More than 115 suspects were arrested at the roadblock, seven motor vehicles were impounded and drugs and firearms were seized.
Police obtained information about people having a party in Vanderbijlpark, pounced on the identified house and found more than 30 people drinking alcohol at about midnight not adhering to the curfew as stipulated by the Disaster Management Act, whereas more than 58 suspects were arrested in West Rand for contravening the Act as well.
Furthermore, in Kagiso (West Rand District) a team comprising of members from Public Order Policing (Pops) and Visible Policing targeted the open space behind Kagiso Cemetery and arrested eight for illegal mining, two illegal immigrants and one for possession of explosives were arrested and illegal mining equipment were confiscated on Friday during a routine patrol. During the weekend operation more than 88 suspects were arrested in the West Rand District.
In Tshwane more than 347 suspects were arrested for various crimes during the weekend Operation. Police conducted the roadblocks and stop and searches, motorist who were found transporting liquor and illicit cigarettes were arrested.
Meanwhile, over 600 suspects were nabbed in Ekurhuleni and Johannesburg respectively by integrated law enforcement agencies made up of SAPS, Metro Police Departments, Gauteng Traffic Police and Home Affairs for various crimes including contravening the Disaster Management Act under Lockdown level 3.
Police management in the province are concerned about people who undermine the lockdown regulations and continue to contravene the National Disaster Management Act and operations to enforce the regulations will be intensified in the province as long as the people fail to adhere.
The arrested suspects will appear in various Magistrate Courts on Monday 25 January 2021
