The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) has vowed to keep students and the broader Braamfontein community safe following a surge in proactive policing operations across Johannesburg.
The assurance comes after JMPD officers assisted two young women in Braamfontein late on Wednesday night, escorting them safely to their residence at Wits University at around 11pm when they were found at risk while travelling at night.
The intervention was highlighted by the JMPD as an example of its new high-alert deployment strategy aimed at protecting vulnerable groups, especially women, and preventing crime before it occurs.
In a statement the department said the increased visibility follows a directive issued on Monday, 14 September, after strategic engagements between City Manager Dr Floyd Brink and JMPD Chief of Police Commissioner Patrick Jaca.
That directive was issued in response to recent violent incidents in neighbouring Ekurhuleni, which have raised security concerns across Gauteng and prompted Johannesburg to tighten its own public safety operations.
“Following strategic engagements between the City Manager and the Chief of Police, a directive was issued in response to recent violent incidents in Ekurhuleni,” JMPD spokesperson Superintendent Xolani Fihla said.
“In line with this directive, JMPD has intensified its proactive policing, public safety interventions and community outreach efforts across the City.”
Braamfontein, home to Wits University, the University of Johannesburg’s City Campus and thousands of students living in off-campus residences, has long been a hotspot for robberies, muggings and gender-based violence targeting students walking at night.
Student organisations have repeatedly called for more visible policing, better lighting and safe transport after dark.
The area’s dense mix of student accommodation, nightclubs and late-night eateries makes students particularly vulnerable to opportunistic crime.
The JMPD says its current strategy focuses precisely on that vulnerability.
“This proactive approach forms part of the Department’s strategy to bolster public safety, safeguard vulnerable individuals, especially women, and prevent crime before it occurs,” Fihla said.
The department stressed that while serious crime investigation remains the mandate of the South African Police Service (SAPS), JMPD is deploying specialised units and high-visibility patrols to support joint law enforcement operations alongside both SAPS and the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD).
Officers have been placed on high alert across key precincts including the inner city, Braamfontein, Hillbrow and university corridors, with stop-and-search operations, foot patrols and late-night escorts for those at risk.
The JMPD has reassured residents, students and visitors that the intensified operations are not temporary but form part of a sustained effort to reclaim public spaces.
“The JMPD reassures residents, students and visitors that officers remain deployed on high alert to ensure a safer environment for all,” Fihla said.
The department has urged the public to report suspicious activity and to approach officers on patrol for assistance, especially during late-night hours.
