Cape Town - Driving while under the influence of alcohol remained a problem in Cape Town, officials said, as the City’s enforcement services made 369 arrests over the past week.
The Traffic Service made 121 arrests, of which 76 were for driving under the influence.
They impounded 110 public transport vehicles and executed 963 warrants of arrest.
During its first week, Operation Exodus saw 463 buses, mini and midi buses and trailers undergo safety checks.
Vehicle checkpoints linked to the operation around major public transport interchanges saw 1 994 vehicles stopped and 8 051 fines issued.
Law Enforcement officers made 187 arrests and issued 4 610 fines, while their Metro Police counterparts made 61 arrests, including 14 for driving under the influence, and issued 2 524 fines.
The Public Emergency Communication Centre recorded 2 263 incidents over the weekend, including 238 cases of assault, 67 domestic violence incidents, 29 complaints about drinking in public and 71 motor vehicle and pedestrian-vehicle accidents.
“The statistics over the past week paint a bittersweet picture. On the plus side, we’ve had nearly 500 public transport vehicles undergo safety checks as part of Operation Exodus. In spite of the unseasonal stormy weather, very few incidents were recorded that required a disaster response, and, in part, due to the weather, there was a downturn in fires over the long weekend,” said Safety and Security Mayco member JP Smith.
“But with the good comes the bad, and the drunk driving arrests, domestic violence incidents and a number of assault cases recorded by our PECC alone, unfortunately, reflect the dark side of the festive season. We’re also noticing an increase in calls related to self-harm. It is heartbreaking to realise that, during a time when the narrative is festive, so many among us are going through a very difficult time.”
Cape Times