Protest action keeps City enforcement services busy
27 July 2020
The wave of unrest, coupled with other policing priorities resulted in 30 arrests, thousands of fines and a host of injuries to City staff. Read more below:
The City of Cape Town’s enforcement services have spent the past week dealing with an increase in the number of violent protests and related criminality in various parts of the metro.
Protests linked to land invasions, but also other apparent service delivery issues have taken place in Delft, Khayelitsha, Mfuleni and for the past few days, Kraaifontein.
In the last week, the enforcement services responded to 48 protests, resulting in 12 arrests,18 staff members injured and seven vehicles damaged.
‘The City respects the right of individuals to protest, but there is no justification for the violence we have experienced in recent weeks. Also, based on some incidents recorded during these protest actions, it is clear that criminal elements pose a clear and present danger to public safety and are using the protests as cover for their own gain,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.
During other enforcement efforts, City staff arrested 30 suspects and issued more than 60 000 fines for various transgressions such as disobeying stop signs, traffic signals and road markings, vehicle defects, ignoring the speed limit and taxis driving without an operating license.
Metro Police Department
Metro Police officers made 16 arrests for crimes ranging from possession of drugs, possession of suspected stolen property, reckless and negligent driving, intimidation, malicious damage to property, drunken driving, armed robbery, resisting arrest, riotous behaviour, assault on a police officer, possession of stolen property and theft of a trailer during crime prevention patrols.
In one incident on Sunday, 26 July 2020, Metro Police officers patrolling the R300 between Hindle Road and Stellenbosch Arterial noticed a male running from a white Nissan LDV with a laptop, cell phones and knife in hand.
The occupants of the vehicle alerted the officers that the suspect robbed them at knifepoint. When the officers confronted the suspect, he tried to stab one of them, but was apprehended.
The complainants identified the laptop and cell phones as their property.
The 40-year-old male was arrested for armed robbery, resisting arrest, riotous behaviour, assault on a police officer, possession of stolen property and was detained at Delft SAPS.
Elsewhere, the Metro Police K9 Unit had various successes, recovering various quantities of cocaine, tik, dagga and heroin in separate incidents in Brooklyn and Parow, resulting in the arrest of six females.
Traffic Service
Various taxi enforcement operations during last week in the Airport Industria, Waterfront and Cape Gate areas, led to 38 taxis impounded and 111 fines issued.
On Friday evening, 24 July 2020, traffic officers arrested four motorists for driving while under the influence of alcohol in the Sea Point and Table View area.
During the same curfew enforcement operation, officers issued 97 fines for transgressing the national lockdown regulations. Officers also issued 68 fines for various other offences.
During an Illegal street racing operation in the Sea Point area yesterday, traffic officers suspended 30 vehicles and issued 223 fines for various offences.
‘As the lockdown restrictions are eased, we are seeing more and more old habits resurfacing, particularly on the roads. Given all of the many policing priorities in the city at this time, we renew our call to the public to comply with the law.
‘The past week has seen a dramatic increase in lawlessness, which has put our resources under immense pressure. We can do without the additional enforcement headaches,’ added Alderman Smith.
End
Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
