Metro cracks down on Lyttelton lawlessness
The operation involved a co-ordinated effort between the Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD), municipal health department, and city officials to address a growing number of complaints from residents.
Freedom Front Plus PR Councillor Wesley Jacobs said the action was long overdue and formed part of ongoing plans to clean up hotspots in Lyttelton.
'We first conducted a clean-up on Fountains Avenue, where we removed illegal settlers in front of the trees due to resident complaints. I arranged for a Tractor-Loader-Backhoe (TLB) and a waste truck to assist,' he said.
He confirmed that an illegal car wash operating on the same road had been shut down, and the equipment was confiscated.
'Efforts were also made to address another illegal car wash at the Shoprite Centre.
'The TMPD has committed to removing its equipment daily to ensure the car wash does not operate there anymore. Zero tolerance will be enforced.'
Jacobs added that he would soon obtain a lock for a nearby hydrant being used to illegally access water.
The most extensive part of the operation took place in the Sports Park informal settlement, where officers raided shebeens operating illegally.
'We managed to confiscate alcohol and large speakers from these places. One of the shebeen owners was arrested on site,' Jacobs said.
While several hotspots were targeted during the operation, the Sports Park area remained the main focus.
He also revealed that a food establishment operating without any health, safety, or fire certificates was shut down and issued a R5 000 fine by the health department.
'The establishment was non-compliant with previous fines, and the health department found unsanitary conditions.
'They now have 30 days to pay the fine and produce the correct documentation or face closure,' he said.
Despite a few setbacks, including the absence of Home Affairs and Social Development officials, which prevented officers from addressing undocumented foreign nationals, Jacobs expressed his commitment to seeing the job through.
'I will continue to monitor the area and make life more unpleasant for these illegal operators as legally possible,' he said.
He also confirmed that additional operations would resume on July 4, following a brief pause due to end-of-financial-year procurement delays.
The community has responded positively to the clean-up efforts.
Muhammad Naidoo said that visible action has made residents feel safer and more hopeful.
'This kind of intervention was desperately needed. The noise from the illegal shebeens and the constant foot traffic from the car wash created an environment where people felt unsafe in their own neighbourhoods,' he said.
Naidoo commended Jacobs and the TMPD for their persistence.
'It's reassuring to see our complaints being taken seriously. I hope this momentum continues and that more long-term solutions are implemented.'
Another resident, Christina van Staden, noted that the clean-up has already made a noticeable difference in the area's appearance and atmosphere.
'The illegal car washes were not only an eyesore but also a public health concern, with all the wastewater flowing into the streets.
'The fines for illegal businesses are a step in the right direction. We need to support those who follow the rules, and I'm glad to see the city starting to enforce that.'
Rekord reached out to the TMPD for comment, but no response was received by the time of publication.
ALSO READ:Groenkloof residents foot security bill as metro falls short
Do you have more information about the story?
Please send us an email to bennittb@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.
For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East
For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok.
At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
a day ago
- IOL News
Civilians can now film police without fear of arrest
A large group of uniformed police officers salute Historic ruling: Civilians' rights to film police interactions upheld. Image: Supplied A historic ruling has strengthened the rights of civilians in their interactions with police officers. The High Court of Johannesburg has decided that civilians are allowed to question and record videos of police officers without fear of arrest. This follows the unlawful arrest of an attorney known as Jacobs for recording a video of a stop near his house. According to court documents, Jacobs stated that he returned home from work around 8pm on March 1, 2019, to find that police had set up a roadblock in front of his gate. However, he was permitted to drive into his yard. Jacobs then went inside his house and chatted with his wife about the disruption produced by the roadblock before approaching the police to see if they would be willing to shift it to oppose the unoccupied ground near his house. "The officers just ignored him. When he asked for their details, the third respondent became aggressive, pushed him with both his hands on his chest and told him to get into his house, otherwise he would arrest him. "He went to his house and fetched his cellphone. His primary intention was to photograph or take a video of the roadblock... When they saw that he was recording a video of the scene and especially the vehicle, they arrested him without explaining his rights and what he was arrested for," read the documents. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading The court declared the arrest unconstitutional and granted Jacobs R250,000 in compensation. Activist Mukhethwa Dzhugudzha called the ruling a big win for accountability when it comes to law enforcement. "It protects the public, reinforces constitutional values such as the right to freedom of expression," he said. "Section 16 of the Constitution applies whether you're a journalist or just someone with a phone. Camera don't just record violence; they can prevent it." Dzhugudzha added that people act differently when they know that they are being recorded. "This is crucial for communities that experience harassment, especially with the growing number of vigilantes." IOL News Get your news on the go, click here to join the Cape Argus News WhatsApp channel.
IOL News
a day ago
- IOL News
Disbarred advocate pleads guilty to soliciting a R5 million bribe from Italian businessman
Disbarred advocate Seth Nthai was convicted of corruption and given a R500, 000 fine, coupled with a suspended sentence. Image: File Disbarred senior advocate Seth Nthai has been convicted and sentenced by the Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg to a hefty fine after pleading guilty to corruption charges. Nthai admitted to soliciting a R5 million bribe from Italian businessman Mario Marcenaro during a meeting in Sandton in October 2009. The high court on Wednesday accepted a plea and sentence agreement offered by Nthai and imposed a fine of R500, 000 or two years imprisonment on him. In addition, he received a five-year suspended sentence, wholly suspended for five years on the condition that he is not convicted of a similar offence during the suspension period. In delivering the sentence, the court acknowledged the seriousness of the offence, noting that the complainant in the matter was the government. The plea agreement followed extensive trial proceedings during which the presiding judge recused himself after multiple state witnesses had testified. ]The matter was ordered to start afresh before a different judge, resulting in the current plea. Initial investigations revealed that Nthai, who was the government's legal representative in the arbitration, disclosed confidential case information to Marcenaro, including legal strategies, defences, and possible outcomes, without authorisation. In exchange for the bribe, Nthai promised to influence the government to secure a favourable settlement for Marcenaro and other claimants. The R5 million was, however, never paid. Nthai was appointed by the State Attorney to act as lead counsel on behalf of the South African government before the International Arbitration Tribunal. The claimants in that matter, who were Italian nationals, had asserted that South Africa's new mining laws contravened a bilateral investment treaty between Italy and South Africa. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Before the formal hearing could commence, the claimants had expressed a willingness to withdraw the claim. What stood in the way of a withdrawal was the issue of costs, which amounted to about €5 million (approximately R50 million at the then prevailing exchange rate). The claimants accordingly required the government to consent to the withdrawal of the claim. Nthai met on a number of occasions with the CEO of one of the claimant companies, Marcenaro. He did so without the knowledge of the government or the State Attorney, who had briefed him in the matter. They initially met at their respective homes in Johannesburg. Later, Nthai travelled to Italy. During these meetings, he attempted to solicit from Marcenaro a bribe of R5 million, which he required to be paid into his foreign bank account. In return, he undertook to ensure that the government would agree to settle the dispute on the basis that each party would pay its own costs, thus potentially saving the claimants millions of rand, at the expense of his client, the government. Nthai was not aware that Marcenaro had recorded their conversations. In December 2009 it came to the attention of the claimants' legal team that he had been communicating with Marcenaro. The State Attorney who had instructed Nthai in the matter consequently lodged a formal complaint. At that time, Nthai held chambers in both Pretoria and Johannesburg and was also a member of the Johannesburg Society of Advocates. Nthai, a former Limpopo safety and security MEC, initially pleaded not guilty to these charges. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) meanwhile welcomed the conviction and sentence as a significant milestone in the ongoing fight against corruption, particularly within the ranks of public office bearers and the legal profession.
The Citizen
2 days ago
- The Citizen
Pretoria prosecutor and constable in the docks for extorting R1.6m
Pretoria prosecutor and constable in the docks for extorting R1.6m A suspended prosecutor and a Wierdabrug police constable who allegedly demanded payment of R1.6-million in exchange for a businessman's release were granted bail on July 30 by the Pretoria Magistrate's Court. The court granted bail to the pair after they were charged with extortion. Advocate Avinash Ramapararat (45), the suspended prosecutor based at the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Unit (SCCU), and Constable Abdul Haig Shaik (37), a police officer stationed at Wierdabrug Police Station, were each granted R5 000 bail. According to National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Gauteng spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana, in February 2024, Shaik allegedly contacted the businessman and requested that he report to the Wierdabrug Police Station regarding a fraud and theft case opened by Agynt Commodities. Mahanjana said the case was related to a coal transaction between Agynt and the businessman's company in 2023. Upon arrival, the businessman was arrested by Shaik and placed in a holding cell. While in custody, the two accused allegedly demanded payment of R1.6-million in exchange for the businessman's release. She said the businessman paid the money and was later released. Mahanjana said that after a few months had passed, the businessman made a follow-up on the case, and was told the case number given to him was unrelated to his matter. 'He then reported the incident to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, which led to the arrest of both accused on July 25.' Mahanjana said: 'During their bail application, the State did not oppose bail, as both accused had co-operated with the investigation, were not deemed flight risks, and had confirmed residential addresses. 'In addition to the current matter, the pair also face separate charges of extortion and corruption in a case before the Pretoria North Magistrate's Court.' Mahanjana said the court postponed the matter to October 24 for the Director of Public Prosecutions' decision, while the separate matter will return to court on October 27 for disclosure. She said the NPA is committed to fighting crime, including within its ranks. She said Ramapararat was placed on suspension pending finalisation of internal disciplinary processes. LISTEN: Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to [email protected] or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok.
