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Arrested immigrants to appear
31/01/2008 16:11 - (SA)
Johannesburg - More than 500 people were arrested during an anti-crime prevention raid in the centre of Johannesburg, police said on Thursday.
Captain Bheki Mavundla said police raided the Central Methodist Church after complaints that people were being robbed on the streets and that the robbers were fleeing into the church building.
A number of immigrants were arrested at the church and taken to the Johannesburg Central police station.
Those who were found to have documents allowing them to be in the country would be released and those who were illegal in the country would appear in court and deported depending on the findings of the court.
He said immigration officials from the Department of Home Affairs were busy verifying documents of the arrested immigrants.
The number of the immigrants could not be established, but 500 people, South Africans and foreigners were arrested in a raid that lasted from 22:00 on Wednesday until Thursday morning.
Other buildings in the centre of the city also were raided.
Health authorities would visit the Central Methodist Church to inspect the building, as it was found that it housed more people than it could accommodate, Mavundla said.
The Central Methodist Church gives shelter to Zimbabweans and a smaller number of migrants from other countries.
Some of the arrested people are expected to appear in the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court on Thursday and the rest in the same court on Friday.
Loaded into trucks
The SABC reported earlier that church authorities had condemned the manner in which the police raid was conducted at the church in downtown Johannesburg.
Police began by rounding up hundreds of people sleeping in the streets before arresting those inside the church building.
Men and women, young and old, were loaded onto police trucks and vans and transported to the Johannesburg Central police station.
However, two hours later, those found to have their papers in order were brought back to the church, SABC reported.
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