Bad weather equals bad driver behaviour
11 September 2023
The City of Cape Town’s Public Emergency Communication Centre (PECC) received 76 calls about motor vehicle accidents and 18 pedestrian related accidents this past weekend. In addition, the other enforcement departments arrested 410 suspects, one of which was on the Top 100 list of people with outstanding warrants.
'It has become par for the course that with inclement weather, there is an increased recklessness on our roads. Drivers fail to take into account the bad weather and don't adjust their driving behaviour accordingly. Instead of switching on their lights, slowing down or increasing their following distances, they seem to do the opposite.
'Add to that a number of drivers being under the influence and you have a recipe for disaster. Alcohol, negligent driving and wet road conditions result in accidents or fender benders which could have been avoided. It may be spring, but that doesn't mean the rainy days are over. Motorists should be extra cautious whenever weather conditions deteriorate,' said the City's Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.
In addition, the PECC fielded 42 domestic violence and 120 assault calls.
Traffic Service
Officers apprehended a suspect in Kuils River who is on the Top 100 list with 59 outstanding warrants with a value of R178 900.
On Saturday, 2 September while doing Top 100 investigations, officers stopped a vehicle and the driver tried to flee on foot through the canal and into vegetation.
Officers chased and caught the suspect, who appeared in court and is currently in custody.
In the past week, Cape Town Traffic Service held integrated roadblocks, vehicle checkpoints and speed control operations and recorded 40 701 speeding offences, issued 26 850 fines for various traffic violations, while 339 vehicles were impounded and 1 934 warrants of arrest were executed.
Traffic officers made 71 arrests for the following offences:
- 51 for driving under the influence of alcohol
- five reckless and negligent driving
- 15 for various other offences including assaulting an officer
Metro Police Department
Metro Police officers made 72 arrests of which four were for driving under the influence and 51 for the possession or sale of drugs.
They also issued 2 670 traffic fines, 360 by-law fines and confiscated a number of drugs including:
- 324 mandrax tablets
- 11 packets and 34 sachets of tik
- 41 units of heroine
- Several firearms and live ammunition
On Sunday, 10 September, at approximately 08:00, officers held a vehicle check point on Potsdam Road in Du Noon, which led to the arrests of two motorists, aged 39 and 47 for drunk driving.
On Saturday, 9 September, Metro Police Special Operations Unit members arrested a suspect on firearm and drug related charges in Athlone.
The officers followed up on information of firearms and drugs being stored at a house in the area and recovered a CZ 7.65 pistol with seven live rounds, as well as 124 Mandrax tablets and five packets of dagga.
A 50-year-old suspect was arrested for the illegal possession of a firearm, ammunition and drugs, and detained at Athlone SAPS.
LAW ENFORCEMENT
During the past week, the City's Law Enforcement Department officers made 267 arrests and issued 4 176 notices.
Residents are reminded to phone 021 480 77 00 from a cell phone and 107 from a landline to report any criminal activity or emergency.
End
Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
