HUNDREDS OF POLICEMEN SWOOPED ON JOHANNESBURG STREETS ON FRIDAY (7TH JANUARY) TO START A MAMMOTH DRIVE THAT IS AIMED AT STAMPING OUT CRIME IN THE CITY. PEOPLE WERE ASKED TO PRODUCE THEIR IDENTITY CARDS AND SEARCHED.

HARDLY A STREET CORNER IN THE CITY CENTRE WAS WITHOUT POLICE OFFICERS MAKING CHECKS. A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WERE TAKEN INTO CUSTODY.

THE DRIVE FOLLOWS POLICE WARNINGS AT THE END OF LAST YEAR THAT THEY WERE ABOUT TO EMBARK ON AN ALL-OUT WAR ON THE CITY CRIME RATE.

A SIMILAR SWOOP ON ONE POLICE DIVISION IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS OF 1965 WAS REPORTED TO HAVE RESULTED IN THE NUMBER OF ARMED ROBBERIES DROPPING FROM 80 TO 25 A MONTH.

JOHANNESBURG PEOPLE HAVE BECOME INCREASINGLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE LEVEL OF THE CITY'S CRIME RATE.