The police van was damaged after a large quantity of booze was confiscated by police during a crime prevention drive which included the raiding of illegal shebeens and taverns in that area. 

Police spokesperson, Adéle Myburgh, says the police in Jouberton followed up a tip-off about the owner of a certain house who was allegedly selling alcohol illegally. She says the owner allegedly fled the scene and a large amount of liquor was found and confiscated by police. Residents, however, later mobilised and stormed the police vehicles. They removed and damaged some of the liquor that was loaded. Myburgh says a case for malicious damage to property is under investigation.

“Police were busy with the crime prevention operation, which was focusing on the illegal selling of liquor in taverns. So they went around and they were visiting shebeens and liquor premises to check their licences and so forth. So it was just general crime prevention when they received this information and acted on it. That's when this scuffle took place,” she adds.

Meanwhile, the National Police Commissioner, Khehla Sitole, has called on police officers around the country to continue stamping the authority of the state, following similar incidents across Gauteng and the North West over the weekend. "The acts by these respective communities are unacceptable and should be condemned in the strongest possible terms. It is common knowledge that alcohol has been one of the biggest generators of contact crimes, including gender-based violence and femicide. Communities should be rallying together against the illegal sale of such,” Sitole adds.

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