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Yesterday, on 22 November 2018, a joint Operation Buya Mthetho focusing on illicit goods was conducted in the inner-city of Johannesburg. This was, however, cut short as a group of over a thousand people gathered in Jeppe Street and attacked law enforcement officers.
The City has since the start of this year successfully launched Operation Buya Mthetho - Bring Back the Law - which has since been recognised and adopted the South African Police Services (SAPS) on a national level. It has shown great success and the latest monthly crimes stats are indicative of this. So is the results of collecting over R700 million this year.
Law enforcement agencies including the SAPS, Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD), Gauteng Traffic Police, Border Police and other role players took part in this particular joint operation focusing on the prosecution of illicit and counterfeit goods such as shoes, jeans, takkies, watches, belts and handbags.
As the joint operation was about to begin, a mob from the multi-storey buildings where the illicit and counterfeit goods are known to be stored and sold got wind and began to gather to interfere with the joint law enforcement operation. The situation quickly escalated when over about 1 000 people gathered to attack the police by pelting stones and bricks. Police had to retaliate to the violence including firing of rubber bullets. One Gauteng Traffic Police officer was injured in the attack.
Public Safety MMC Michael Sun says, “We are shocked at the attitude of the unruly group of traders and occupiers of these buildings thinking that they can run amok in the City and there will be no consequences for lawlessness. We condemn the attack on law enforcement officials and violent tactic to prevent law being enforced in the strongest sense, nothing will stop our effort in restoring law and order in the city of Johannesburg”.
It was reported that many of the residents and employees in the inner-city feared for their safety when the violence erupted.
The Department of Public Safety has a zero tolerance approach to this kind of behaviour and will be stepping up Operation Buya Mthetho to deal with the crime and grime in the Joburg CBD.
For media queries:
Luyanda Longwe
Stakeholder Manager: Office of the MMC for Public Safety
luyandalo@joburg.org.za
061 496 0536
