By Hassan Isilow
JOHANNESBURG
Over 450 people have been arrested so far in a new security operation in South Africa that aims to clamp down on illegal immigrants, drug dealers and other criminal elements.
"Our efforts in law enforcement have yielded positive results," Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe told reporters in Pretoria on Wednesday.
He said nearly 200 illegal immigrants had been arrested on the streets of Johannesburg and Pretoria, with the most being 144 detained in Johannesburg's Mayfair suburb, which has a large migrant population.
"Operation Fiela is aimed at ridding South Africa of illegal weapons and drug dens," he asserted.
The operation involves the South African army, police and the Department of Home Affairs.
Authorities cordoned off areas inhabited by migrants and searched them for illegal weapons, drugs and identification documents.
Those found without documentation were bundled into police and Home Affairs vehicles and will soon be deported.
Minister Radebe also said that another 265 people had been arrested in relation to a recent spate of anti-immigrant violence.
The violence began earlier this month in the coastal city of Durban when mobs descended on the homes and shops of a number of foreign migrants.
The violence, which left seven people dead, including three South Africans, has forced scores of migrants from Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and other African countries to leave the country.
Mixed reactions
The immigrants were accused of stealing jobs from native South Africans, committing crimes, and putting a burden on the country's social services.
The government appears to be taking the situation seriously and is now clamping down on illegal immigrants.
Gauteng police spokesperson Lt. Col. Lungelo Dlamini told AA that the operation had been conducted in Johannesburg's Mayfair and Hillbrow suburbs.
He said operations remained ongoing in other parts of the city.
"This operation will help us fight crime, because some people have been dealing drugs in our suburb for too long," Somali businessman Abdi Omar told The Anadolu Agency in Johannesburg.
However, some migrants who are still awaiting approval of their work permits by the Department of Home Affairs voiced fear they could soon be deported.
"Now I'm scared of this operation," one Kenyan national who works as a teacher in Johannesburg told AA.
"They might arrest and deport me, even though I have been waiting two years to formalize my documents," he said.
He said he applied for his work permit two years ago but had yet to receive it.
"I don't think police officers will listen to me. I am scared of being deported," he added.
Many South Africans, however, welcomed the government move.
"I am happy our government is now in charge and is getting criminals off our streets," Sammy Tobs, an auto body mechanic, told AA.
"People have been selling drugs and stolen goods openly on the streets," he said.
