Pretoria - City of Tshwane chief of police Lieutenant-General Johanna Nkomo said it was painful that every year during the holiday season, they had to beg adults to conduct themselves accordingly and refrain from drinking and driving.
The head of the Tshwane metro police department said despite their efforts, drinking and driving somehow still took place, and subsequently, innocent people lost their lives on the roads.
Nkomo compared the pain of trying to prevent this to being a psychiatrist and restraining persons so that they did not harm themselves.
She also called on all her officers to ensure that they were not corrupt or corruptible, and not to accept bribes to overlook offences. No mercy would be shown to any officer of the law found guilty of soliciting or accepting bribes.
Nkomo was at the N1’s Carousel Plaza for the launch of the department’s festive season safety operations.
Tshwane MMC for Community Safety, Grandi Theunissen, who was also at the launch, said the fact that 1 448 people died on the roads in 1 210 crashes during the previous festive season called for change.
He encouraged officers to go out and do their best during operations to achieve a decrease in road accidents, fatalities, injuries and traffic offences in Tshwane.
He spoke shortly before they joined traffic officers on the highway to stop vehicles and check their roadworthiness, the validity of driving licences, and verify that vehicles were not loaded beyond capacity.
Theunissen said it was horrible for such a high number of people to lose their lives on the roads, and it would take serious behavioural change to ensure that people are on high alert and lives are protected.
Motivating the officers, Theunissen said: “You need to set the example for them (motorists) to follow; this is a prideful job to do.
“Sometimes this is an ungrateful job to do. You are insulted or people are not very friendly when you stop them. It is a natural thing. Keep your calm and keep your cool.”
He told the officers to keep in mind that the festive season had arrived and related celebrations were under way, and thus some people would be influenced by alcohol.
Department spokesperson Senior Superintendent Isaac Mahamba said with intensified operational strength, commuters and motorists would observe highly visible policing, including regional and freeway policing.
Pretoria News