A property in Yeoville which was allegedly hijacked has been returned to its rightful owner after the suspected hijacker and an accomplice were arrested on Friday evening.
In a statement, Johannesburg Mayor Herman Mashaba said the property owner alleged that the tenant had stopped paying rent and was subletting the property and collecting rent without permission from the owner.
"In an attempt to get the property back, the owner approached the court in December 2017 where an eviction order was granted," said Mashaba.
"The suspected hijacker and the tenant were evicted from the property at the beginning of this month."
"They then forcefully moved back into the property."
The handover of the property to the owner follows an investigation by the City’s Group Forensic and Investigation Service department (GFIS) together with the South African Police Service (SAPS), said Mashaba.
"Criminals must know that they might run but there is no place for them to hide in Johannesburg."
"The City will not leave any stone unturned when dealing with criminal activities within its area of jurisdiction and we will continue to intensify the raids at these bad and hijacked properties with the assistance of SAPS and other law enforcement agencies."
"It is essential that we bring back the rule of law in our City and take it back from the criminal elements such as landlords who take advantage of desperate people and house them under deplorable conditions."
The alleged hijacker and accomplice are expected to appear in the Hillbrow Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
Mashaba said the suspected property hijacker would be charged with contravening Section 3 (1) of the Prevention of Illegal Eviction Act, contempt of court and trespassing while his co-accused, who is also a tenant at the property, will be charged for contempt of court and trespassing.