Gauteng community safety MEC Faith Mazibuko has warned residents who have undocumented migrants on their property that when police conduct raids they will arrest the tenant and the landlord.
Addressing community members in Olievenhoutbosch in Centurion on Tuesday, Mazibuko said residents should work with police and not allow tenants with no documentation.
Mazibuko encouraged community members to form street committees that would enable them to know each other and easily identify criminal activity.
“If that person [renting in a backyard room] is an undocumented migrant, through our street committees we will go tell the cops that in a particular house there are people with no documents to be in South Africa. Police will go there to arrest the undocumented people and the owner of the house for harbouring illegal immigrants in his or her property.
“If you keep people in your yard that are undocumented they will give you their wrong identity.
“If your tenant is unable to produce documentation of their stay in South Africa, tell them as much as you need the money, you cannot stay with him,” Mazibuko said.
The community safety department organised the meeting because of serious crime in Olievenhoutbosch.
In February, a man on Gauteng’s most wanted list was fatally wounded during a shoot-out with the police. Two of his alleged accomplices were arrested. He was wanted for the attempted murder of two police officers, cash-in-transit robberies, ATM bombings and murders.
In March, two men and a woman were killed during a robbery at a liquor outlet in Olievenhoutbosch Extension 36. The suspects fled and the three victims were declared dead on the scene. A fourth person was taken to hospital.
Police representatives who attended Tuesday's meeting at Seshegong Secondary School said they had arrested people for murder, 39 undocumented people and 30 motorists for drunk driving in the past month.
Olievenhoutbosch has 127 shebeens, 41 churches and 26 schools.
Residents complained to the MEC and the police that they opened cases but there was no follow-up. Drugs were being sold to children in schools.
They also complained that in places such as Nkandla in Olievenhoutbosch, police are called to crime scenes but never pitch as they claim the area is unsafe.
Mazibuko said police have been to Nkandla and will visit the area more often to crack down in criminal activity.
TimesLIVE
Arrest landlords who house undocumented people: Faith Mazibuko
MEC says police will arrest those who house undocumented migrants
Image: Tshepo Mashao
Gauteng community safety MEC Faith Mazibuko has warned residents who have undocumented migrants on their property that when police conduct raids they will arrest the tenant and the landlord.
Addressing community members in Olievenhoutbosch in Centurion on Tuesday, Mazibuko said residents should work with police and not allow tenants with no documentation.
Mazibuko encouraged community members to form street committees that would enable them to know each other and easily identify criminal activity.
“If that person [renting in a backyard room] is an undocumented migrant, through our street committees we will go tell the cops that in a particular house there are people with no documents to be in South Africa. Police will go there to arrest the undocumented people and the owner of the house for harbouring illegal immigrants in his or her property.
“If you keep people in your yard that are undocumented they will give you their wrong identity.
“If your tenant is unable to produce documentation of their stay in South Africa, tell them as much as you need the money, you cannot stay with him,” Mazibuko said.
The community safety department organised the meeting because of serious crime in Olievenhoutbosch.
In February, a man on Gauteng’s most wanted list was fatally wounded during a shoot-out with the police. Two of his alleged accomplices were arrested. He was wanted for the attempted murder of two police officers, cash-in-transit robberies, ATM bombings and murders.
In March, two men and a woman were killed during a robbery at a liquor outlet in Olievenhoutbosch Extension 36. The suspects fled and the three victims were declared dead on the scene. A fourth person was taken to hospital.
Police representatives who attended Tuesday's meeting at Seshegong Secondary School said they had arrested people for murder, 39 undocumented people and 30 motorists for drunk driving in the past month.
Olievenhoutbosch has 127 shebeens, 41 churches and 26 schools.
Residents complained to the MEC and the police that they opened cases but there was no follow-up. Drugs were being sold to children in schools.
They also complained that in places such as Nkandla in Olievenhoutbosch, police are called to crime scenes but never pitch as they claim the area is unsafe.
Mazibuko said police have been to Nkandla and will visit the area more often to crack down in criminal activity.
TimesLIVE
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