South Africa: Joburg Councillor, Police Officer Implicated in Alleged Hijacking of Police Building

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7 September 2023
allAfrica.com
By Jerry Chifamba

Harare — One of the 23 suspects in an alleged Johannesburg building hijacking is a councillor for the city, News24 reports, and another suspect is allegedly a police officer. The raid is a result of the City's efforts to find other housing for Marshalltown building occupants after last week's fire, which claimed 77 lives.

The facility was bought by the municipality in 2019 for R40 million, according to Gwamanda's spokesperson Mlimandlela Ndamase, and had been earmarked by the City as an alternate residence for homeless individuals.

Officials from the city discovered construction workers erecting face-brick walls on the property during an inspection on Wednesday morning. Angie Mokasi, the acting chief of police, said that among those handcuffed was a fake landlord who claimed to be the owner of the property, and that several people are currently under investigation.

The suspects face charges of malicious damage to property and City infrastructure, theft and vandalism.

 

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