OPERATION Safer Festive Season started on a high note on Saturday, 21 October after the police recovered high caliber firearms from a man suspected to be an illegal mining king pin in West Rand.
According to Gauteng police spokesman, Lieutenant-Colonel Mavela Masondo, police in Gauteng arrested more than 140 suspects and recovered rifles, including AK-47 during the operation.
He said police received information about a suspect who was in possession of unlicensed firearms in Bekkersdal in West Rand.
"The information was operationalised and upon searching the premises, police from Crime Intelligence and Bekkersdal Visible Policing found two unlicensed R5 rifle and AK47 rifle and dagga," he said.
Masondo said a 36-year-old undocumented foreign national was arrested for unlawful possession of firearms and dealing in dagga.
Furthermore, detectives tracked wanted suspects and arrested 56 of them for crimes ranging from rape to fraud.
Masondo said the Minister of Police General Bheki Cele, the National Police Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola and Gauteng Police Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Elias Mawela joined the police at the roadblock and an illegal mining operation in Roodepoort, where more than 85 suspects were arrested for offences that included possession of suspected stolen goods and undocumented foreign nationals.
"Generators and drilling machines used by the illegal miners were seized as the police dismantled and disrupted their operation," he said.
Meanwhile, Tshwane district police spokesman, Warrant Officer Johan van Dyk said efforts to combat and investigate crime in Tshwane will continue to ensure the district is a safe place for all people in the city.
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"To enhance service delivery and ensure compliance with internal policies, Garsfontein and Kameeldrift Police Stations were inspected last week. Senior officers from Operation Shanela Support Services within the district conducted the inspection. Different departments at the station were inspected, and subsequent mistakes were identified for corrective measures, compliance and implementation of internal directives and policies," he said.
He said follow up inspections will be conducted in due course.
Ephraim Gopane (39) from Mamelodi in Tshwane said: "It's good to see that police are removing firearms from thugs as those illegal firearms are normally used to kill innocent lives. We hope police will intensify roadblocks and raid hot sport areas."
Another resident from Mamelodi, Tebogo Manamela (47) said: "Operations like these must be done regularly as thugs are everywhere."
They urged community to desist from protecting thugs and to report them to law enforcement officials.
