The City’s Traffic Service, Law Enforcement and Metro Police Departments arrested 332 suspects and issued 104 981 fines during weekly enforcement operations. The number of fines is more than double that of the previous week – 59% were speeding offences.
A total of 62 283 speeding offences, with fines, were recorded around the city. This does not include an additional 38 174 fines issued by traffic officers for various other traffic violations.
‘Speedsters made the long weekend and quieter roads their playing field, and the number of offences recorded attest to that. We received ongoing complaints from across the metropole. So, in the coming weeks, thousands of motorists can expect a fine notification in their mailboxes. I advise them to pay their fines or risk ending up behind bars. In the past week, our traffic offers also arrested 1 368 motorists for outstanding warrants,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.
Traffic officers issued 38 174 fines for various other traffic violations.
They also impounded 200 public transport vehicles and made 52 arrests - 44 for drunk driving and eight for reckless and negligent driving.
The Ghost Squad attended to a drag racing complaint in Bellville on Sunday, 17 April and during that time, officers made two arrests for drunken driving, one for reckless and negligent driving and one for endangering the life of a minor.
In addition, 22 vehicles were suspended for unroadworthiness, 35 drivers were fined for not having valid licences, eight were fined for a failure to wear safety belts, and 48 were fined for having unlicensed vehicles and 20 for smooth tyres.
METRO POLICE
Officers arrested 154 suspects and issued 4 524 fines during weekly enforcement operations. Of the successful arrests made, 45 were for driving under the influence of alcohol and 63 for the illegal possession or sale of drugs.
At midnight on Saturday, a Metro Police K9 unit was doing freeway patrols when they noticed a green Toyota Yaris which had been reported as hijacked in Kensington.
The officers gave chase and pulled the vehicle over on the N1 just before Sable Road. Three cameras, suspected to be stolen, were found on the back seat.
The occupants, a 39-year-old man and 33-year-old woman, were transported to Maitland SAPS, where a female officer searched the woman and found a Glock 19 firearm, two magazines with 21 9mm live rounds, and four hollow point ammunition rounds inside her pants, between her legs. The firearm was later found to be reported stolen in Strandfontein.
The two were detained at Maitland for the possession of a stolen motor vehicle, the possession of suspected stolen property, possession of an illegal firearm and the possession of illegal ammunition.
Also on Saturday, officers attached to the Tactical Response Unit arrested three men in Ruyterwacht, after following up on information about illegal drug activities.
The officers searched premises in Martin Adam Street and Sakabula Crescent and confiscated the following:
• 87 Ecstasy tablets
• Eight dagga trees
• 14 big bankies dagga
• One big bag of dagga, a number of different sized jars of dagga
• A number of other drugs including Khat, and an amount of unknown capsules and tablets
Suspects aged 21, 23 and 26, were arrested and detained at Elsiesriver SAPS.
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Law Enforcement officers arrested 126 suspects (52 for the illegal possession of drugs).
Officers also issued 3 713 notices.
Source: South African Police Service