Pretoria - Police on Friday conducted intervention operations in townships in the north of Tshwane to restore calm and retrieve items believed to be stolen during looting.
Operation Stability saw over 747 law enforcement officers deployed to hotspots like Central City Mall in Mabopane and Batho Plaza in Block KK Soshanguve.
Several shops were looted including Fair Price warehouse, Pick n Pay, Shoprite as well as several clothing shops.
Major General Daniel Mthombeni, Commander of the operation, told SAnews the police had started with the search and seizure operation to put a stop to the criminality at Central City Mall and Batho Plaza.
“During the operation, which started around 9am, we got stolen goods new like bed base sets, plasma televisions, fridges and clothing which people could not account for with proof of purchase.”
The majority of the seized items were still in sealed boxes.
The recovered items, Major General Mthombeni said, were being booked in at Loate police station.
“If people want to prove that it’s their own items then they have to bring receipts to us before we release them,” he said.
The identification process of the reclaimed goods will begin next week with business owners having to bring proof that it is indeed their stock.
The operation was expected to continue well into the night until calm was totally restored to the areas. He said law enforcement visibility would be increased to deal with issues that may arise.
“These operations will play a critical role. People will see that we are reclaiming the hotspots. Those who have taken what does not belong to them will realise they will not get away with it.”
He said the operation will also please the business owners whose shops were looted.
The looting has left some residents unsure of their employment as the affected business owners count their stock losses and infrastructure damage.
There were some protests in the area on Thursday night which saw some residents burning tyres and barricading roads, however, police contained the situation. Twenty people were arrested in Mabopane and 23 in Soshanguve, on charges which included possession of drugs.
“The situation in both hotspots is quite calm because we intensified police deployment and visibility,” Major General Mthombeni said.
The community’s reaction to the operation was supportive as many want the situation to return to normal.
Police have confirmed that five people have been killed and more than 200 arrested since the violence broke out.
Violent protests erupted in Tshwane on Monday evening with protesters burning buses, barricading streets with burning tyres, pelting passing motorists with stones. - SAnews.gov.za
