On May 6, two people were arrested at the Thabong Mall. The duo was found to be in possession of over 200 South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) social grant cards and money. The Gauteng Department of Community Safety commended the community patrollers for their alertness. The suspects were seen using various SASSA cards to withdraw cash at an ABSA machine near the Spar Supermarket at the mall. The arrest was effected by the members of the South African Police Service following a tip-off from patrollers deployed at the mall. The arrested persons are believed to be loan sharks who took the SASSA cards from their owners, as security against the repayment of loans.
The two are currently being detained at the Sebokeng Police Station while investigations continue. Gauteng Community Safety has deployed over 3 000 community patrollers to assist during the Covid-19 lockdown to ensure compliance with the regulations and adherence to the Disaster Management Act. They have also been tasked with assisting the elderly, the disabled and the child support grant beneficiaries to comply with social distancing at SASSA pay points and in shopping malls. The patrollers are also deployed in identified crime hotspots across the province.
Before commencing work, all patrollers were screened for Covid-19 infection, provided with essential services permits, sanitizers and face masks.
Departmental spokesperson, Ofentse Morwane, said, “The deployment of community patrollers is part of our efforts to improve the safety levels of our residents during this pandemic. Community patrollers are the first line of defence in ensuring that our streets and homes are safe at all times. They have been working tirelessly to turn the tide against crime and to ensue adherence to the lockdown regulations. In certain areas, patrollers are conducting stop-and-search operations for dangerous weapons. They provide general information on the surroundings as well as safety tips. The community patrollers are based at police stations and they complement the work of the police.”
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