Nine suspects (five males and four females) were arrested this morning at a hijacked property in Denver, east of Johannesburg.
The suspects are being detained at Cleveland Police Station. They are expected to appear at the Jeppe Magistrates Court tomorrow where they will be charged with trespassing and contempt of court.
The matter was reported to the City’s Group Forensic and Investigation Service (GFIS) department for investigation in 2019. During the investigation, it was established that the property was indeed hijacked and tenants were paying a monthly rental of R800 to the alleged property hijacker.
The spokesperson for Group Forensic and Investigation Services, Lucky Sindane, said the owner then approached the High Court of South Africa where an eviction order was granted and executed on 02 December 2021. However, the suspects forcefully moved back into the property.
“A special operation was conducted by GFIS working together with the South African Police Service Property Hijacking Investigation Task Team (SAPS) and the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD),” said Sindane.
The property has been secured and handed over to the security personnel hired by the owner of the building.
“The City is committed to ensuring that it stops the rot in the City and make it a prosperous and inclusive place for our people to live work and play.”
