North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Wessels Morweng, has issued a stern call to law enforcement agencies in the province to intensify their efforts against criminal activities along the Trans Kalahari Corridor (TKC).
Addressing hundreds of law enforcement officers prior to a four-hour operation by the Trans Kalahari Corridor National Committee (TKCNC) in Rustenburg, MEC Morweng emphasized the importance of maintaining stability and improving trade relations among the three member states. He stated, “Make sure that you deal with any kind of lawlessness that might emerge. It is in our quest to provide stable communities because it is incumbent upon us as government to make sure that there’s relative stability and that will be possible if you carry out your duties with diligence.”
Accompanied by Rustenburg Local Municipality Executive Mayor Cllr Shiela Mabale-Huma, Morweng urged officers to bring those on the wrong side of the law to justice swiftly. His call to action coincided with a series of arrests during the operation, which saw eleven undocumented foreign nationals taken into custody. Among those arrested was a woman apprehended immediately upon Morweng’s arrival, along with ten male foreign nationals detained during a vehicle stop-and-search exercise that inspected 500 vehicles.
Home Affairs Immigration officers have commenced the process of identifying the nationalities of the arrested individuals, ensuring proper legal procedures are followed.
The operation also led to the recovery of two stolen vehicles by the Gauteng NaTIS, with 72 vehicles inspected and cited for various violations by both Provincial and Municipal Traffic officers. Additionally, thirty trucks were inspected, with one fined by the Cross Border Road Transport Agency (CBRTA) for incomplete consignment notes. The Rustenburg Fire Department charged three trucks for transporting dangerous goods without adequate protocols.
The TKCNC operation aimed to enhance law enforcement visibility and promote compliance with safety regulations along the corridor. By enforcing traffic safety laws and regulations related to the transport of goods, the operation seeks to foster a secure environment for trade and travel.
The Trans Kalahari Corridor is a collaborative trans-boundary institution formed to advance regional integration programs of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).