Of the 340 arrests by the City’s enforcement services in the past week, 62 or 18,2% were for driving under the influence – and of those, 35 were arrested at two roadblocks.
‘The statistic doesn’t bode well, particularly in the run up to Easter and for the long weekends that follow. Last week we appealed to motorists to not drink and drive, but it seems to have fallen on deaf ears. Out of the 52 people arrested by Traffic officers alone during the week, 40 were for drunk driving.
‘While this time of year is notorious for its high traffic fatality rate, we are determined to do whatever is needed to keep it low. Drunk drivers, and anyone who flouts the law, will find themselves in trouble. While I am glad for those who were taken off the road, I am equally dismayed at the flagrant disregard for life,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.
A Metro Police operation on Saturday, 9 April, focused on drunk drivers led to the arrest of 20 people.
During the operation, officers noticed a vehicle running a red light on the corner of Station and Van Riebeeck Roads in Kuils River.
The driver ignored instructions to pull over, and sped off instead, with officers in pursuit.
He collided with another vehicle and was arrested for driving under the influence, reckless and negligent driving, and resisting arrest.
‘This driver proves drunk driving is never a good idea. He showed impaired judgement by fleeing, he caused an accident even though no one was injured, and he was still arrested and now has several charges against him.
‘In a second operation by our Traffic Service yesterday in Atlantis, 15 drivers were arrested for driving under the influence. The action was taken after complaints by the public of unroadworthy vehicles used for spinning and popping,’ said Alderman Smith.
The same operation also resulted in 20 vehicles suspended for unroadworthiness, and fines issued for 1 175 speed offences on Otto du Plessis Drive, 862 speed offences on the West Coast Road and 226 speed offences on Dassenberg Road.
METRO POLICE
Officers arrested a total of 144 people, which includes 70 for the possession or sale of drugs. They also confiscated dagga, Tik, Mandrax and heroin; and also issued 4 080 traffic fines and 504 by-law fines.
On Friday, 8 April 2022, K9 members were busy with crime prevention patrols in Klipfontein Road, Manenberg, when they spotted a vehicle reported stolen earlier the day in Mowbray.
They managed to pull the vehicle over on Klipfontein Road, just before Jakes Gerwel, and found the wires beneath the steering wheel were tampered with.
The four occupants were arrested for being in possession of a stolen motor vehicle and when they were searched, one of them had one transparent plastic packet containing Tik in his possession.
The four suspects, aged 24, 31, 32 and 40 were detained at Manenberg police station.
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Law enforcement officers made 144 arrests, of which 100 were for the possession of drugs, 13 for the possession of a dangerous weapon, and six people for the possession of unlicensed firearms.
Source: City Of Cape Town