Everson Luhanga
Members of SAPS and Johannesburg Metro Police pursued a group of suspected hijackers and armed robbers onto a rooftop on Saturday during a raid on their hideout.
Law enforcement had every exit covered when they carried out a raid on the building in the Johannesburg CBD as part of a recent operation to crack down on crime in the area.
The suspects had nowhere to run, and so they all flocked to the rooftops, where they were pursued by the police.
The alleged crooks had nowhere else to run and were arrested on the spot.
Johannesburg Central Police Station spokesperson Captain Xoli Mbele said most of the alleged criminals who tried to escape via the roof are in the country illegally.
He said the building is one of the troublesome ones in the CBD, and they have received several reports of crimes which have taken place there.
Captain Mbele said the police intensified their operations in the Johannesburg CBD on Saturday, targeting different places of concern.
Scrolla.Africa spoke to David Tembe, the MMC for public safety, who said this was a collective act to rid the city of criminality and make city citizens feel safe.
“Our priority is the citizens of the city,” he said.
Tembe said his department thanks residents who tip off the police about criminal activities in the city.
“We are not only doing this in Johannesburg’s inner city. We have been working in all regions of the city and we will continue doing so,” he said.
Captain Mbele said police arrested 254 suspects within the Johannesburg Central Cluster on Saturday.
Suspects were arrested around Brixton, Mondeor, Sophiatown, Fairlands, Langlaagte, Booysens, Moffat View and the Johannesburg CBD.
Captain Mbele said among the suspects were those wanted for murder, house robbery, domestic violence, business robbery, theft of motor vehicle and dealing in drugs. Seventy were arrested for drunk driving.
Most of the suspects will appear in various magistrate’s courts on Monday, 22 August.
