Cape Town - In a week of wet and slippery roads across the metro, the City’s safety and security directorate said it was “utterly shocked” to have arrested 73 people for drunk driving.
The City’s law enforcement officers made 379 arrests and issued 40 653 fines for various transgressions –including 73 arrests for drunk driving and 10 for reckless and negligent driving.
“We’re dealing with a lot due to adverse weather conditions, and then you have those among us who insist on creating additional problems by behaving badly.
“It’s utterly shocking to see how many drunk drivers continue to be arrested week after week.
“It’s hard enough operating a vehicle in good weather conditions when you’re sober, but doing so while impaired in the type of downpours we’ve seen recently is stupid and dangerous,” said safety and security Mayco member JP Smith.
“Our enforcement agencies spend an inordinate amount of time policing the impacts of substance abuse, both alcohol and drugs – which means time away from other priorities,” Smith said.
Among the worst of the incidents was on Youth Day, when metro police officers on patrol in Kirstenhof spotted an Opel sedan driving down Main Road without headlights, he said.
When they stopped the vehicle, they found a bottle of liquor inside the door panel, and detected a strong smell of alcohol on the driver.
The 38-year-old man was arrested after a breathalyser confirmed that he was inebriated.
In a similar incident in Belhar, officers pulled over a vehicle driving without headlights on Symphony Way.
While speaking to the driver they smelt alcohol on him, and a breathalyser confirmed their suspicions.
The 33-year-old was arrested. These arrests come after traffic officers detained a total of 40 motorists – 30 for driving under the influence of alcohol and 10 for reckless and negligent driving, recently.
Separately in Kraaifontein at the weekend, LEAP officers assisted the SAPS with several property searches .
The joint effort resulted in the recovery of 132 “bankies” of tik hidden in a pipe fixed to the gate of one house.
The owner was arrested.
In another incident, a LEAP officer recovered a zipgun with one round of ammunition in a bathroom, resulting in the arrest of a suspect.
“At 9.30am on Saturday, officers on patrol in the Philippi area spotted a vehicle driving recklessly.
“They pulled over the driver and sought permission to search the vehicle.
They recovered a pistol underneath the driver’s seat.
“The driver was taken to Philippi East SAPS for further investigation,” the City said.
Cape Times