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Yesterday, the Joburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) arrested a shop owner in the inner city for trying to bribe an officer with R200.
As part of Operation #BuyaMthetho, JMPD Officers came across a shop on the corner of Wanderers and De Villiers where goods offered by the shop were blocking the sidewalk.
In terms of the City’s Informal Trading By-laws – obstructions caused by traders’ goods on a public road, in public spaces and on sidewalks is prohibited.
When one of the officers wanted to issue the shop owner with a formal Impoundment Notice, the shop owner could not produce identification documents and instead offered the officer R200 as a bribe.
The JMPD officer immediately informed the suspect of his illegal conduct and placed the suspect under arrest. It was later established that the suspect is a foreign national and suspected to be in the country illegally.
Public Safety MMC Michael Sun said: “Operation #BuyaMthetho is aimed at bringing law and order to our City. Whilst JMPD has adopted a zero tolerance attitude toward by-law offences, we have equally adopted a zero tolerance attitude toward corrupt practices conducted by either residents or city officials. I am proud of our JMPD officer for reaffirming our position.”
The suspect is being held at the Johannesburg Central Police Station and his goods remain impounded.
For more details please contact:
Luyanda Longwe
Stakeholder Manager: Office of the MMC for Public Safety
luyandalo@joburg.org.za
061 4960 536