Cops set for Hillbrow 'hell'

2003-12-31 18:19

Johannesburg - Police and soldiers were out in force on Wednesday on the streets of Hillbrow, where residents traditionally lob old fridges, TV sets, beds and bottles from the windows of their high-rise flats on New Year's Eve.

The fireworks are usually fired flat - rockets going from one window to another across the street.

But, residents said they were gearing up for a quieter New Year than 12 months ago, when 46 people were injured, two seriously, by falling debris.

"I expect very little if anything," said Qiqile Ndobela, 27, who has lived in Hillbrow for the past three years.

"The police have done a good job so far," said the computer technician while downing a few beers with friends on Wednesday afternoon at the Jungle Inn tavern, as a patrol of three soldiers armed with automatic rifles went past.

"I think it will be a quiet one," agreed Vivian Ngwenya, a 32-year-old cafe worker.

She said her husband was unable to enter Hillbrow last year because the road was blocked by debris.

"There were all sorts of things in the road including old fridges and stoves," she added.

'Won't be any different'

Some shop-owners they would be closing early to avoid what they maintained would be the usual New Year's mayhem.

"I don't think it will be any different to any other year. You still have the same amount of people having a party," said Henderik de Klerk, owner of the Jamaica wholesale bottlestore.

"It doesn't help to put more cops in the area, because it's like darts.

"The more dartboards you have, the more people will be throwing darts," said De Klerk, a retired police inspector who worked at Hillbrow police station for 12 years.

Morné de Wet, a manager at the bustling Mad Max Prices Store, said the shop would be closing its doors earlier than usual.

"When you drive in in the morning, the place is usually a mess," he said.

Police warned on Tuesday they would crack down hard on anybody lobbing items from Hillbrow buildings.

Inspector Kriben Naidoo said hundreds of police would closely monitor buildings in Hillbrow "where throwing things off the balcony has become something of a bad New Year's institution".

Firecrackers confiscated

Police don helmets and bullet-proof vests for New Year's Eve, and patrol in armoured personnel carriers.

"We have given out thousands of pamphlets pleading with people not to throw objects, including things like fridges, from their balconies, as well as asking people not to fire celebratory shots in the air," Naidoo said.

The Hillbrow police station's commissioner, Danie Louw, said he believed police had made great inroads in keeping the area calm over the festive season.

"I think we are making good progress. And next year it will be even better," he declared.

At the police station, meanwhile, police arrived with yet another confiscated load of illegal firecrackers.

- AFP