Dozens arrested; vehicles impounded as joint operation kicks-off

A joint anti-crime operation by Msunduzi Municipality and stakeholders from the security cluster resulted in several arrests downtown yesterday and a clampdown on various illegal activities plaguing the inner city.

The operation, led by deputy mayor Mxolisi Mkhize, follows a two-day public safety enforcement and disaster management meeting at the Harry Gwala Stadium addressing conditions in the central business district including vagrancy, drug abuse and the proliferation of illegal trading.

Immigration officials also conducted spot-checks to determine the status of foreign business operators and workers.

Dozens of foreign nationals were detained, many of them unable produce valid documentation.

Things got heated when a man, who introduced himself only as MF Patel, accused officials of unfairly targeting foreigners.

He was asked repeatedly to produce valid immigration documents but was only able to show the officers copies of his documents stored as images on his phone.

While he was being detained two other suspected illegal immigrants fled into a nearby store to evade questioning.

Explaining his reasons for not co-operating with officials, Patel told The Witness that officials were unfairly targeting foreign nationals while turning a blind eye to locals who break the law.

“Why don’t they chase us all back to Pakistan and other countries where we are coming from?

“They leave all the locals who commit crimes and chase us from the outside. It’s closer to the elections and now they are targeting us as a show of commitment to serve their people. This doesn’t seem right,” he said.

Five fines were issued during the operation and goods were confiscated for trading without permits.

Thirty-one foreigners were arrested, with only six of them being able to produce proof of valid residency. A total of 25 of them were in the country illegally. At least five shop owners were fined for employing undocumented people.

All the cases were opened at Loop Street Police Station.

“We have closed those non-compliant businesses and those whose owners ran away on our arrival. This street downtown is an eyesore.

“These people realise the damage they are causing to the road by fixing vehicles on the roadside, it’s just that they don’t care.

“We are taking all these vehicles including those parked on the roadside without registration plates. These also contribute to the unsolved crimes committed in our city,” said city deputy mayor Mkhize.