Staff Reporter
About 226 people spent the first day of the New Year behind bars after they were arrested for various crimes across the province, Free State police say.
The arrests, according to provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Sam Makhele, are a result of multidisciplinary operations conducted from January 1-4.
Police in the Free State accelerated their efforts to stamp out crime in the province over the first week of the New Year by arresting more than 226 people for various crimes.
He said people were arrested for crimes ranging from murder, attempted murder, rape, assault with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm and liquor-related crimes, amongst others.
“Of these 226 arrested individuals, 48 of them were undocumented persons,” said Makhele.
“Over and above these arrests, 750 fines were issued mostly related to contraventions of the adjusted Level 3 Disaster Management Act regulations,” he explained.
Makhele said in response to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s call to act decisively against gender-based violence, three people were arrested as a result of transgressions of the Domestic Violence Act while two were arrested for rape.
Police also confiscated over 11.2 kg of gold dust and about 159.9 litres of alcohol.
“Not included in the above mentioned . . . arrests, police also arrested 129 Lesotho nationals who tried to forcefully cross the borders at Caledonspoort Port of Entry without appropriate documents and also not adhering to the adjusted Level 3 Disaster Management Act regulations to confine themselves to their residences during the curfew hours on (New Year’s Eve).”
Free State Provincial Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Baile Motswenyane has also warned people not to cross flooded rivers as this could endanger their lives.
“It is unfortunate that some of the people who tried to cross into South Africa illegally have lost their lives in the river,” she said.
“We want to direct a stern warning to those continuing with these illegal activities that they will face the full might of the law.”
South Africa is separated from Lesotho by the Caledon River on the Free State border and the river is currently flooded as a result of the heavy downpours received over the past few days.