A woman who moved into a Johannesburg property and locked out the legal owners has been arrested‚ with the help of mayor Herman Mashaba.
The mayor's office said the owners of the building‚ who he identified as being a couple from Malvern‚ had tried to evict the woman after she occupied the house‚ alleging that she was the owner.
"She went as far as locking all the gates with chains and locks‚ denying the owner access to the property.
"It was clear that she was not staying with tenants in the house as all the other rooms were empty."
On Monday‚ the mayor's office said: "The owners of the property were accompanied by law enforcement officials where locks were changed‚ security measures put in place and the property returned to them".
Mashaba commented: "It is unacceptable that criminal elements continue to prevail in the city in this way. The rule of law remains the bedrock for ensuring that we continue to protect the constitutional rights of members of our communities. . . . I won’t leave any stone unturned in dealing with criminal activities within its area of jurisdiction. I intend to continue intensifying the raids at these bad and hijacked properties with the assistance of the SAPS and other law enforcement agencies."
He advised people with hijacked properties that they could seek assistance at the city’s Group Forensic and Investigation Service offices‚ situated at 48 Ameshoff Street‚ Braamfontein.
TimesLIVE
Mashaba helps family evict home 'hijacker'
The mayor's office said the owners of the building‚ who he identified as being a couple from Malvern‚ had tried to evict the woman after she occupied the house‚ alleging that she was the owner.
"She went as far as locking all the gates with chains and locks‚ denying the owner access to the property.
"It was clear that she was not staying with tenants in the house as all the other rooms were empty."
On Monday‚ the mayor's office said: "The owners of the property were accompanied by law enforcement officials where locks were changed‚ security measures put in place and the property returned to them".
Mashaba commented: "It is unacceptable that criminal elements continue to prevail in the city in this way. The rule of law remains the bedrock for ensuring that we continue to protect the constitutional rights of members of our communities. . . . I won’t leave any stone unturned in dealing with criminal activities within its area of jurisdiction. I intend to continue intensifying the raids at these bad and hijacked properties with the assistance of the SAPS and other law enforcement agencies."
He advised people with hijacked properties that they could seek assistance at the city’s Group Forensic and Investigation Service offices‚ situated at 48 Ameshoff Street‚ Braamfontein.
TimesLIVE
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