Mayco Member raises concerns over drunk driving

The City’s Law enforcement services made 369 arrests in the past week – nearly a quarter for drunk driving – and issued 63 074 fines for various transgressions.

Mayco member for Safety & Security, JP Smith, said during its first week, ‘Operation Exodus’ saw a total of 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.

‘’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.’’

‘’But with the good comes the bad, and the drunk driving arrests, domestic violence incidents and 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 heart-breaking to realise that, during a time when the narrative is festive, so many among us are going through a very difficult time,’’ he added.

The Public Emergency Communication Centre (PECC) 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.

 

By: Everngelista Muza

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