Pretoria - With the festive season in full swing, the City of Tshwane continues to clamp down on the illegal trade of fireworks.
According to the City, the fireworks were confiscated at a shop in Marabastad on Christmas Day. This was the same shop where a raid was conducted on Wednesday.
"The fireworks were confiscated from a shop owned by the same owner of the warehouse which was raided on Wednesday, where fireworks worth around R300 000 were confiscated," said the city's executive director for communication services Console Tleane.
Two tonnes of fireworks worth R200 000 were confiscated from the shop on Christmas Day.
"Because he was a second offender the fireworks will be destroyed instead of being stored at the Explosives Centre. He will also be blacklisted, meaning that the Fire Brigade services will no longer consider an application from him, nor issue him with a license. Possible criminal charges will be investigated against him, including possible violation of customs control," said Tleane.
Traders who want to sell fireworks must apply for a licence at the South African Police Service's Explosives Unit after which the application is considered by the Fire Brigade Services.
Meanwhile 17people were arrested on Saturday for drinking in public at city parks.
They were arrested at Moroe Park in Atteridgeville after which they were taken to the Atteridgeville Police Station and issued with fines.
