Veli Mcera and ward councillor, Kate Skelem. Four sex workers' nests were raided where dozens of girls were arrested for prostitution. The notorious brothels operate in old buildings and illegal backyard rooms in many streets of the town. They came to Vereeniging to make a living.
It is alleged that a Nigerian sex and drug syndicate operates in the area but all interviewed girls refused to give up the identity of their handlers. Municipal officials promised to check the ownership of the houses that have been turned into brothels. The property owners will be pursued to pay municipal services including water and electricity.
The electricity department will cut off illegal electricity and water supply connections to identified brothels. The second phase of the raid was carried out at the Vereeniging CBD where informal traders were asked to verify their permits. A machine which produces the pirated material was also confiscated.
South African Revenue Services officials found businesses operating without licenses. The health department through its inspectors closed down one shop after it was found that all stock in the store had long expired.
The foreign owners were asked to produce documents to prove their legal stay in the country and failed. They were arrested and taken to the Vereeniging cop shop where their statuses were verified.
