Premier tackles city centre criminal activity

"We want the criminals to know we are coming for them."

This was a warning shot fired by Gauteng premier David Makhura, on Thursday while conducting raids on several businesses in the Johannesburg CBD.

The premier - accompanied by police, the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) and Home Affairs officials - went to the Bree taxi rank and Jeppe Street where they seized counterfeit goods.

The operation was aimed at ridding the inner city of drugs and other economic crimes.

In January, Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba embarked on a similar operation in Yeoville and Hillbrow but targeted businesses not paying for municipal services.

Mashaba has also conducted raids at various hijacked buildings in the city, claiming they were occupied by undocumented immigrants.

Makhura said the taxi rank was a drug hub that fed drugs to the townships and damaged the youth.

"There are guys that have locked their shops because they have illegal goods, drugs and stolen phones," he said.

"The police are going to break down these shops and seize them, the owners cannot come back and operate."

Some shop owners suspected of being involved in illegal activities fled the area. But several other suspects were arrested to jubilation by a crowd of passers-by.

"Here in this district we are focusing on counterfeit goods. Half the time these goods are labelled to mislead customers. This adds up to several millions of rands," Makhura said.

The police seized sanitary pads, stationery, clothes, shoes and skin lightening lotions in Jeppe Street.

Makhura vowed that the raids would be an every Thursday and Friday occurrence.