20 illegal foreigners nabbed in early morning raid

An early morning raid has led to the  arrest of 20 undocumented people at Chicken Farm informal settlement in Kliptown, Soweto.

Another person was arrested for possession of several bags of dagga. Police are yet to quantify the exact number of bags found in his possession.

No firearms were found.

The raid, which started at 3am, was led by Gauteng police provincial commissioner Lt-Gen Elias Mawela, who was accompanied by City of Johannesburg mayor Mpho Phalatse.

There was a heavy police presence around the  settlement as police vans, nyalas and members of the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) encircled the entire area, ensuring that no one comes in or goes out.

Operation Dudula leader Nhlanhla “Lux” Dlamini was seen walking around the informal settlement clad in his camouflage uniform as police were patrolling.

Mawela said the raid was to search for illegal firearms, drugs, illegal immigrants and criminals.

“We arrested 20 undocumented persons. They are from Lesotho. We asked them to show us documentation and they said they do not have them. They told us they came into the country illegally. They did not resist arrest,” said Mawela.

“We came here because our intelligence team informed us about community members complaining about people discharging firearms and breaking into people’s homes at night. This is what informed us to come in the early hours of the morning. If we come during the day, we will not find anyone. The people here were happy to see us and when they tell us there is crime in the area, we have to act,” said Mawela.

Phalatse said: 

 “We are looking for criminal elements. We are looking for people robbing the community, firing gun shots at night, getting into people’s shacks... The people here feel unsafe. They know who the criminals are and who is terrorising them but they are afraid to speak out because they fear they might be killed.

During patrol, police were going to people's shacks, knocking on their doors and telling them to open. 

Residents were seen standing outside their shacks in their pyjamas, warming themselves by the fire and looking around as the police went from one shack to another.

Mawela said the raid is part of an operation that will continue until midday in areas of Eldorado Park, Kliptown, Chicken Farm, Pimville and Orlando.

The raid comes just a week after  residents of Pimville Zones 3, 4, 5 and 7 went to Chicken Farm to confront people about cable theft that had left them in the dark since April 17.

Kgomotso Vincent Diale was shot dead when a car with Lesotho registration plates opened fire on the group.

Two people have since been arrested in connection with the shooting.