Cape Town – The City of Johannesburg’s Group Forensic and Investigation Services Unit, along with the newly launched JMPD Tactical Reaction Unit and other law enforcement agencies, successfully conducted a joint operation on Friday to recover a building in Hillbrow that had been hijacked by four individuals for over 20 years.
Two suspects were arrested during the operation, and the rest of the hijackers fled when confronted by law enforcement.
The privately owned Claridge Court building, which had been hijacked for two decades, was handed over to its rightful owner, David Phahladira.
The recovery of the building was considered a landmark victory in the fight against hijacked buildings, aiming to reclaim the inner city from criminal activities.
♦️HAPPENED YESTERDAY ♦️
Public Safety MMC @MTshwaku was at Claridge Court yesterday alongside @JoburgMPD and Hillbrow @SAPoliceService. The building was recovered from hijackers and the process of returning it to its rightful owner is owner is underway. pic.twitter.com/Wkc6BWHgz6
— COJ People’s MMC Public Safety (@PublicSafetyMMC) January 27, 2024
Johannesburg Public Safety MMC Mgcini Tshwaku emphasised the city’s progress in addressing hijackings and expressed determination to reclaim all hijacked buildings.
“We are making progress as the city in terms of getting rid of hijackers and we will reclaim all hijacked buildings from these criminal syndicates. There has been allegations that Vermaak Attorneys, and Jan Van De Bos are working with the Masters of the Gauteng High court to get frivolous court orders and are getting preferential treatment where matters of court roll are concerned,” The Citizen quoted him as saying.
According to IOL, the arrested pair are scheduled to make a court appearance at the Hillbrow Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
