[ad_1]
- Hillbrow residents mostly spent New Year’s Eve indoors.
- In the past, the area on New Year’s Eve was synonymous with extreme violence and littered streets..
- Some people were seen wandering the streets after curfew, but they quickly entered when they saw the police convoy.
Residents of the Johannesburg suburb Hillbrow, which in the past was associated with violence and rebellion, mostly spent New Year’s Eve indoors as 2020 came to a close.
Gauteng Police Commissioner Elias Mawela said this was the second successful New Year’s Eve operation at Hillbrow.
Mawela and his subordinates tightened their boots and started running in the notorious part of Johannesburg on Thursday night.
In the past, Hillbrow was synonymous with extreme violence, with many people injured and its streets littered with trash, furniture, rocks and stones, burning tires and other items, such as refrigerators, thrown from windows.
Different scene
This year, however, the suburb was a different scene, save for a few broken bottles and other small items on the streets. This has been attributed to lockdown regulations and the constant visibility of the police.
A handful of people were seen wandering the streets, but upon seeing the police convoy, they quickly entered the properties.
Many homeless people were seen sleeping under blankets, and only a few were awake.
In many streets, the police were greeted with whistles, vuvuzelas and howls from neighbors applauding their presence.
Mawela said the operation was a success thanks to the cooperation of residents and their leaders.
‘Mission accomplished’
“Here at Hillbrow, it is mission accomplished. What we wanted to achieve is peace, harmony and people enjoying [New Year’s Eve] without violence. There is no war and we did not have any conflict with the neighbors.
“Last year we were here and there were no challenges. Last year, there was no closure and people were jovial in the streets. They went out and mingled with us. We even went into some liquor outlets addressing customers.
“Our recipe is ongoing engagement with people. The role played by the Hillbrow Community Policing Forum is greatly appreciated. They interact with people and warn residents that they are not in their best interest to wreak havoc. Working together with the community, we will surely have a peaceful Hillbrow, “Mawela said.
Gauteng Police Commissioner Elias Mawela and his officers watch Hillbrow residents celebrate the new year indoors.
Gauteng Police patrol the Johannesburg CBD on New Years Eve, December 31, 2020.
Gauteng Police patrol the Johannesburg CBD on New Years Eve, December 31, 2020.
Some arrests made
By midnight, Gauteng police had arrested 94 people across the province. Most of the arrests were of people who violated the Disaster Management Act.
“We have arrested nine people for drinking and driving [and] one for possession of ammunition without a license.
“In West Rand, we have also arrested a few people with unlicensed firearms and ammunition. We believe that for now we have achieved our objective. There is a hijacked vehicle that has been recovered. We think we have done very well,” Mawela said.
