- City officials arrest a man accused of hijacking a Bryanston property during an enforcement operation led by the city manager.
- Firearms illegal connections and unsafe living conditions found as the city moves to shut down hijacked homes.
A man linked to the hijacking of a Bryanston property has been arrested during a city enforcement operation.
The suspect, known as Lawrence, is accused of taking over a house on Grosvenor Road in Bryanston, north of Johannesburg.
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The operation was led by Johannesburg city manager Floyd Brink together with the office of the public safety MMC and several law enforcement teams.
During the raid, officers found a firearm and live ammunition inside a luxury Mercedes Benz believed to belong to Lawrence. More vehicles and a motorcycle were also impounded.
Officials disconnected illegal water and electricity connections at the house. The property belongs to a divorced couple who no longer live there.
Brink said one of the owners was traced while in hospital and confirmed she knew the property had been hijacked.
During the operation, officers found a woman hiding under a bed. She said she pays R1,800 a month to rent a small room at the house where she lives with her children. She claimed Lawrence is the landlord.
Brink said the arrest sends a clear message that property hijacking will not be allowed.
He said at least 17 other properties in the area have also been hijacked and action will be taken against them.
The once luxury home is now surrounded by rubbish, leaking pipes and illegal power connections, putting children living there at risk.
Brink said the Department of Social Development has been contacted to help protect the children found on the property.
He said hijacked buildings are often used for serious crime and put nearby communities in danger.
The city says enforcement operations will continue.
This is not the first hijacked property found in Bryanston. During a previous inspection, officials discovered 23 illegal log homes housing about 70 families on another site.
A notice was issued ordering the structures to be demolished, but the property remains occupied.
Brink said when owners cannot take back control, the city disconnects services and closes the property as a last resort.
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In December, police and city officials raided another hijacked house in the area as part of the BuyaMthethoManjeNamhlanje campaign.
That house was linked to drug activity and illegal firearms, and several people were arrested.
