Police have arrested 245 people in Soweto for various cases which included murder, rape, possession of unlicenced firearms, stolen vehicles and malicious damage to property, Gauteng police said on Sunday.

Inspector Kay Makobele said the arrests were made over the weekend.

He said 40 of these arrests were for drinking alcohol on the streets and in public.

Makobele said the suspects would appear in the Protea, Lenasia and Roodepoort magistrates' courts on Monday.

Sapa