Month-end weekend sees drunk driving arrests almost double in Cape Town
04 November 2024
The City’s enforcement services arrested 283 suspects and recorded 68 276 traffic and by-law offences in the past week. Of those arrested, 69 were caught drunk behind the wheel … nearly double that compared to the previous week.
In the last week of October, City agencies arrested 37 motorists for driving under the influence. This past week, that number shot up to 69.
Traffic officers made 88 arrests - 56 were for driving under the influence of alcohol, 10 for reckless and negligent driving and 22 for other transgressions. Offices also recorded 63 357 offences, executed 1 145 warrants of arrest and impounded 213 public transport vehicles.
Their Metro Police counterparts made 77 arrests in the past week, of which 11 were for driving under the influence, including:
• On Saturday, 2 November, officers attended to an accident scene on the elevated freeway into the CBD. One of the drivers involved, aged 50, returned a breathalyzer reading of 0.86 mg/l. The legal limit is 0.05 gram/100ml
• On the same day, in Khayelitsha, officers on patrol in the area spotted a white Mazda swerving on the roadway. The 37-year-old driver’s breathalyzer reading was 0.76 mg/l.
Law Enforcement officers made 128 arrests in the past week, including two persons who were caught driving under the influence, taking the overall tally to 69.
‘The month-end phenomenon was reflected in the increased drunk driving arrests, but also the interpersonal violence incidents reported to the Public Emergency Communication Centre. These behaviours continue to plague households and communities, but they’re also a drain on the enforcement and emergency services staff who have to deal with the impacts of alcohol abuse. The City will continue to do targeted and data driven enforcement to ensure we can push back against offenders who continue to ignore the rule of the road.
‘We are moving towards festive season and that will mean increased traffic enforcement targeting driving under the influence so let me take the opportunity to remind everyone who thinks that they are above the law, that the day will come when they run out of luck,’ said Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.
The Public Emergency Communication Centre recorded 1 941 calls this weekend, including 155 cases of physical assault, 47 motor vehicle accidents and 23 pedestrian/ vehicle accidents.
End
Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
