They were nabbed on Friday morning during the police's Operation Shanela.
Gauteng police have been deployed throughout the inner city to fight crime during the festive season. On one of Johannesburg's busy roads, more than 100 police officers were checking vehicles for compliance. A taxi was stopped, and an illegal miner quickly fled the vehicle when asked to show his documents.
However, he was swiftly chased down, caught, and placed in a police van. Gauteng Police Commissioner Tommy Mthombeni said illegal immigrants were a cause for concern in the inner city of Johannesburg. "We are having illegal immigrants. We are also focusing on that. As for now, we have arrested 123 illegal immigrants."
During the festive season, the Johannesburg Central and Hillbrow police stations typically record some of the highest crime rates in the area.
