Foreign national

A foreign national was found fraudulently issuing fake passports at Johannesburg Park Station. PRASA will now regulate informal traders. PHOTO: PRASA

Foreign national found selling fake passports at Park Station

A foreign national was arrested for fraudulently issuing fake passports at Johannesburg Park Station, PRASA said.

Foreign national

A foreign national was found fraudulently issuing fake passports at Johannesburg Park Station. PRASA will now regulate informal traders. PHOTO: PRASA

A foreign national is arrested on Sunday for fraudulently issuing fake passports at the Johannesburg Park Station.

The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) received a tip-off that the man operates at a cloakroom that belonged to a tenant who is an informal trader.

CLOAKROOM REVEALS ILLICIT DEALINGS BY FOREIGN NATIONAL

Police acted on the tip-off and upon searching the cloakroom, a computer hardware and components, fake passports, photographs, ID cards, and printing equipment were found, PRASA spokesperson Andiswa Makanda said.

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“The informal trader concerned is said to be subletting her allocated trading stall at R5 000 per month to persons not allowed to trade at our facilities and promoting illegal activities on our premises.”

Andiswa Makanda

The suspect is held at Johannesburg Central police station.

The informal trader who sublet the space is evicted.

Foreign national
A foreign national was found fraudulently issuing fake passports at Johannesburg Park Station. PHOTO: PRASA

ILLEGAL SUBLETTING ON PRASA PREMISES

The rail agency said its aware of illegal subletting of trading spaces to unauthorised people by informal traders.

“We have recently introduced an Informal Trading Policy to deal with many illegal activities at our facilities and ensure that informal traders comply with South Africa’s health and safety; environmental health and safety regulations”

PRASA recently issued a notice to informal traders to request them to vacate Park Station to allow for formalisation of the policy and to regulate those trading at the station.

This is to ensure the safety and security of PRASA personnel, commuters, and informal traders while preserving the infrastructure.

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“The recent arrest of the man is a vindication that we are on the right path and we will do all in our might to deal with illicit operations and to take action to protect the safety and security of the informal traders too.”

“While the eviction of informal traders may come as an inconvenience, we plead with informal traders to understand and be patient as we proceed with the process to formalise and regularise the presence of informal traders at Park Station,” Makanda said.