Africa-Press – South-Africa. The Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) arrested 21 undocumented foreigners in Springs and Crystal Park on Thursday.
The operation started in the morning.
In the Springs CBD, the officers went into several shops where they arrested several individuals, while others were stopped and searched on the streets.
One person attempted to flee, but was chased and cornered at a motor vehicle spares shop opposite the taxi rank.
The man failed to produce papers and was arrested.
An officer at the scene said they were targeting people who did not possess the relevant documents to be in the country.
During the operation, many shops were quickly closed by people avoiding the officers.
Some of the people arrested said they had forgotten their documents at home.
Two men, who claimed to be from Bangladesh, produced photos from their cellphones, which had their papers.
The officers did not believe their explanations and the two men were handcuffed and loaded into the police van.
The operation then moved to a liquor store, where two people who claimed to be South Africans were arrested because they could not produce their papers.
The operation follows action by taxi operators on Wednesday.
Taxi operators combed the streets of Springs CBD, removing homeless people.
A taxi operator, who refused to be identified, claimed they were cleaning the streets of Springs.
“We were not violent because we don’t want to be arrested. We have an influx of drug dealers and drug addicts in Springs. We want to keep our town clean. Our children are addicts and live on the streets, stealing from people instead of seeking employment or going to school,” he said.
The man vowed that they would continue with the operation.
EMPD’s media liaison officer, Ignatius Maphike, said an operation in Crystal Park, jointly with SAPS, led to the arrest of eight undocumented foreigners. Six were male, and two female.
“Then there was another operation in the Springs CBD, where officers stopped and searched undocumented foreigners. Thirteen people were arrested for failing to produce relevant documents. Nine of them were male, and four were female. Home affairs officials are processing them,” said Maphike.
Regarding the conduct by taxi operators on Wednesday, Maphike said: “They accused the homeless people of breaking into their cars at night. They claimed the homeless were nyaope addicts, who sold items stolen from their minibus taxis to buy drugs in town.
“This caused a conflict between the taxi operators and alleged drug dealers. Our officers were on site to monitor the situation. The operators removed and set alight sleeping material belonging to homeless people.”
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