ALL EYES WILL BE ON FESTIVE HILLBROW

Red Ants, police officers, soldiers, ex-boxer Baby Jake Matlala and police
chief Jackie Selebi have descended on Hillbrow.

And their message to residents? Clean up your act.

Hillbrow police communications officer Inspector Kriban Naidoo yesterday
warned inner-city residents that police would be out in full force to
ensure a crime-free New Year's Eve.

"There will be hundreds of police officers in Hillbrow. We'll have video
surveillance, and anybody caught with guns or drugs will be arrested."

Naidoo said police would adopt an "aggressive, pro- active campaign"
tonight to curb violence in Hillbrow.

They would deal harshly with people firing shots into the air, putting
bystanders at risk from stray bullets.

The metro police will set up roadblocks, checking for drunk drivers,
inspecting cars for roadworthiness and searching for illegal guns.

The escalating toll of people who have not lived to see the arrival of the
new year has led police to target the area to ensure a peaceful celebration.

In the heart of Hillbrow, Commissioner Selebi spoke to residents yesterday,
urging them to "party without fighting".

And police called on Ma-tlala, the pint-sized world champion boxing legend,
to deliver a message to the people of Hillbrow.

Driven around the inner city by police, and using a loudspeaker, Matlala urged:

"Law-abiding citizens, blow the whistle on criminals";

"People, remain positive and don't do a naughty thing";

"Only do your fighting in the ring";

"Don't be a champion in crime, be a champion in sport";

"Please, please, please - let's not kill each other".

But the mightiest punch he delivered was warning people not to throw
"microwave ovens and condoms out of windows".

For some inexplicable reason, in the heat of New Year's Eve euphoria, many
people in Hillbrow hurl whatever they can get their hands on out of windows.

In addition to fridges, microwave ovens and condoms, beds, mattresses,
concrete rubbish bins, an assortment of cutlery and bottles have also
become deadly missiles.

Sixty-five-year-old Inspector William "Papa" Hogan has worked Hillbrow's
streets for the past few years, trying to keep law and order in the
infamous suburb. He has seen his fair share of flying appliances.

Managing to wrest the loudspeaker away from Matlala, Hogan delivered this
message: "Be responsible. Do not partake in the New Year madness.

"Do not throw rubbish from the buildings onto the streets - it is dangerous
and could result in serious injury or death of innocent people. You will be
held responsible," he said.

Ushering in 2000, Hogan was patrolling Kotze Street in a Casspir when a
fridge crashed through the roof of his vehicle.

"Fortunately, no one was injured. The vehicle was repaired and the fridge
was found to be in working order, and now stands in the SAPS workshop in
Benoni."

To cut down on such destruction, police helicopters yesterday flew over
buildings, identifying debris and heavy objects to be removed from rooftops.

Pikitup and the City of Johannesburg have also been cleaning the streets.
Red Ants security guards swarmed into Hillbrow armed with brooms and filled
dozens of 2-ton trucks with rubbish.

"Where there's grime, there's crime," explained Naidoo.

He added that the police wanted to show the community they were not just
about "armoured vehicles, blue lights and sirens" but were there to clean
up the environment and create a place that residents could be proud of.

The entourage of about 10 police vehicles headed into Tudhope Avenue - an
area known as Little Lagos because of the sizeable Nigerian community
living there.

It was disastrous timing for a young couple, who were in their car picking
up their New Year's Eve drug order.

Their car was searched and, fortunately for them, the deal had not been
concluded - although 800 Ecstasy tablets, a crack pipe and four dagga
joints were found nearby.

In the past two weeks, the police have been raiding Little Lagos every day
in the run-up to tonight's festivities and have seized Ecstasy tablets,
cocaine, crack cocaine "rocks", heroin and dagga.

Inspector Dennis Adriao, SAPS media liaison officer for Gauteng, said the
campaign to clean up Hillbrow was a long-term project and the police were
making inroads in their efforts to combat drug syndicates.

As the convoy of police left Little Lagos, Hogan once again managed to get
the loudspeaker away from Matlala.

"Do not fear, papa is near," he reassured the residents.