By Augustine Ehikioya
Fighting crimes in Gauteng Province, South Africa, officials of the Operation O Kae Molao have arrested more than 550 suspects at the weekend.
The suspects have been on the run after committing serious and violent crimes, including murder, armed robbery, rape, fraud, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, housebreaking and theft.
This was disclosed in a statement by Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo of South African Police Service, Office of the Provincial Commissioner of Gauteng, and made available to Security Watch Africa (SWA).
It said “The Provincial Commissioner of the Police in Gauteng Lieutenant General Elias Mawela was joined by the Gauteng MEC for Community Safety, Ms Faith Mazibuko, as he led yet another Operation O Kae Molao.
“These suspects were arrested during the first phase of the operation, where the detectives were tracing wanted suspects.
“The second phase of Operation O Kae Molao is where integrated law enforcement agencies conducted a roadblock to ensure that there were no illegal goods and substances transported by the road users and to search for stolen and hijacked vehicles.
“During the roadblock in Protea, Soweto, 12 people were arrested for driving while under the influence of alcohol, three cars that were suspected to be stolen/hijacked/used in the commission of crime were seized and 18 undocumented foreign nationals were taken in to be processed by officials from the Department of Home Affairs,” it added.
The statement also disclosed that more than 270 other people were arrested for various crimes in Johannesburg District over the weekend.
It added “Other districts also conducted weekend operations that resulted in the arrest of 490 people in Tshwane District, 426 in Ekurhuleni District, 168 in West Rand District and 87 in Sedibeng District.”
The arrested suspects, it said, will appear at different Magistrates’ Court in due course.