More than 900 people were arrested in the Johannesburg area this weekend — almost half of them for serious crimes, police said on Monday.
Police spokesperson Inspector Amanda Roestoff said eight murder suspects, four suspected rapists, and five suspected car-hijackers were arrested during police operations.
Sixty-four people were also arrested for assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
In total, 373 people were arrested for serious offences, such as murder, illegal possession of firearms, or fraud, Roestoff said; and 594 people were arrested for less serious offences like drunkenness, gambling, and urinating in public.
She said some of the less serious offenders would have been released, after being told when to appear before a magistrate. However, a large proportion of the arrested persons were in police holding cells on Monday, waiting for their court appearance.
”We have 21 police stations in the Johannesburg area, some of them with many police cells,” explained Roestoff.
Twenty-one firearms were seized, and almost 2 000 litres of liquor were confiscated. Police also found mandrax, cocaine and dagga. Seven motor vehicles were also seized.
Roestoff said this sort of crime prevention operations were a daily occurrence, as police try to crack down on serious crimes in and around Johannesburg.
On the same weekend, 199 arrests were made in neighbouring Katlehong. – Sapa