Johannesburg - A strong contingent of Johannesburg metro police officers patrolled the streets of central Randburg on Thursday, clamping down on crime and by-law infringements.
The blitz was carried out because the metro police had identified a number of by-law infringements in the Randburg CBD, prompting them to rid the area of any wrong doing, reports the City of Joburg on its official website.

According to metro police spokesperson, Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar, among the problems were taxi drivers driving on the wrong side of the road, vagrants camping in the area, advertising trailers parked illegally, and illegal street trading.

Several vehicles were impounded, including taxis that were parked illegally on private premises.

Some had even been operating from illegal ranks on the streets.

"The problems that we are dealing with here have existed for several years now," Mr Minnaar noted, adding that through the operation, the police were sending a message to all Joburgers to comply with by-laws.

"We want all citizens to understand how serious it is to infringe by-laws."

Thursday's operation was tailored to create a crime-free, friendly environment, where people obeyed the laws, and to monitor whether users complied with the law.

A number of business owners and illegal street traders were given harsh warnings to get their acts together; several were fined. Unlicensed drivers and those driving unroadworthy vehicles were slapped with R800 fines.

Several taxi drivers also received R500 fines for sleeping in roads' loading zones. "This is unacceptable; this place is for picking up and loading off passengers, nothing else," Mr Minnaar explained.

He warned that if people refused to comply with the police and continued to break the by-laws, they would be arrested. "If you fail to give us your name and address, making our job twice as hard, you will be arrested. If you commit serious crimes like theft and robbery, you will be arrested."

It was important for every citizen to co-operate with the police. At the end of the day, Mr Minnaar said that the blitz had gone well, and that he was satisfied with the results.

The primary purpose of these kinds of operations by the metro police is to raise awareness of the law, and to urge people to comply with municipal by-laws and national health legislation. - BuaNews