115 Suspects Arrested in eThekwini as Multidisciplinary Task Forces Cleans Up Streets of KwaZulu-Natal

• In excess of 100 suspects were arrested in an extensive multidisciplinary operation that took place in KwaZulu-Natal over the weekend
• Suspects were arrested for a wide array of crimes, which included drug possession, illegal firearms and illegal liquor vending
• Spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Ngobile Gwala said that operations of this nature will increase in frequency as the province aims to curb crime in the streets

DURBAN - In a bid to rid the eThekwini District of crime, a multidisciplinary task force arrested over 100 people in an operation held over the weekend.

The operation, which started on Friday and continued till Sunday evening, was undertaken by various law enforcement agencies and simultaneously conducted in Durban North, Point, Durban CBD, Umbilo, Greenwood Park and other areas in the eThekwini District, The Witness reported.

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According to SABC News, the jointed task force focused on drugs, illegal firearms, counterfeit goods, illegal liquor stores, undocumented persons and offenders who violated their parole.

KZN provincial police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Ngobile Gwala said the task team also targeted a scrap metal dealer in Greenwood Park to check compliance with the Second Hand Goods Act. The owner of the business fled the scene upon the police officers' arrival.

Gwala said:

“Police recovered copper pipes, copper cables and a railway control arm at the premises. The total value of the recovered property is R30 000.”

The task force also visited liquor outlets to check the establishments’ compliance with the Liquor Act.

Gwala added that:

“Such operations will be ongoing across the province to curb acts of criminality and remove perpetrators of crime from our streets.”

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This weekend’s successful raid was not the first. Three individuals were arrested during another multidisciplinary operation that took place on Wednesday last week. Following a tip-off, the individuals were apprehended with copper valued at an excess of a million rand in Marianhill and Shallcross, Durban.

There have been mixed reactions from South Africans, with some people commending law enforcement for a job well done while others exhibited little hope that the operation will be effective in the long term. Here are some of the comments:

Fiki Gwala commented

"We have to acknowledge the good job that SAPS is doing, this is what we want as SA people... WELL DONE SAPS!"

Shange Zama said:

"Mxm you only they only act once something bad happens,those criminals will be out in the streets in no time cause that is how weak our justice system is .These things shouldn't be done once off but every week and something must be done and change laws of this country so that they don't favour the criminals."

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Frieda Bontkowskyj added:

"Shall we applaud them for doing their job? What have they been doing? Why did we have to wait???"

Former Eskom employee, husband and 2 others arrested with stolen copper cables worth R300k

Briefly News previously reported that copper cables worth at least R300 000 were recovered from a former Eskom employee, former police officer and two other officials in Bredasdorp, Western Cape. The suspects face charges of fraud and theft.

Investigations revealed the cables were stolen from the Eskom Customer Network Centre in Bredasdorp and the suspects started selling them to a local scrap yard last April, EWN reported.

The two rolls of copper cables weighed 840kg and 624kg. Police received information about the copper cable theft, and upon investigating the matter, the suspects were bust.

Source: Briefly News