Cape Town - The City’s Traffic Service is seeing a nearly 25% increase in drunk driving arrests. The numbers went from 38 to 68 arrests over the pay-day weekend.
The City’s law enforcement and metro police departments said they arrested 330 suspects and issued 50 978 fines during the past week, and officers arrested 68 suspects for driving under the influence of alcohol.
This marks an increase compared to 267 arrests during the previous week, of which 38 were for drunk driving.
The Traffic Service team arrested 70 drivers, of which 62 were caught drinking and driving, and eight for reckless and negligent driving. Officers recorded 46678 offences, impounded 220 vehicles and carried out more than 2 000 warrants of arrest. Their law enforcement counterparts arrested 206 suspects and issued 2 660 notices for various offences.
On Friday, August 25, CCTV cameras captured a suspect breaking into a vehicle in Strand Street in the CBD. Officers who responded to the incident apprehended the 43-year-old suspect in possession of a laptop.
He was detained at Cape Town Central police station on charges of theft from a motor vehicle and malicious damage to property.
On Sunday, August 27, metro police officers conducted vehicle checkpoints in Eerste River and Mfuleni, where they arrested 14 suspects on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol, possession of drugs and escape from custody. The suspects, aged between 24 and 47, were detained at Kleinvlei and Mfuleni police stations.
On the same day, CCTV detected what appeared to be drug dealing on the Cape Town station deck. Officers were sent to investigate and on arrival found two suspects in possession of mandrax and tik. Both suspects were arrested.
Mayco member for safety and security J P Smith said the driving under the influence trend was not surprising and that they had come to expect it at certain times of the month, most notably around month-end.
This past weekend, one of those arrested admitted to being a repeat offender who had not yet seen the inside of a courtroom.
“It is disheartening to hear these stories, particularly when one considers how dangerous and frankly, reckless, drunk driving is, and our country’s ongoing struggle with road fatalities.
“Our officers continue to do the hard yards on the ground, but if we really want to send a strong message to offenders, and effect the necessary behaviour change, the criminal justice system needs to move more swiftly.”