The City of Cape Town says a driver met his match on Sunday, 18 October, when he attempted to flee from its officers following several complaints of wheel spinning, reckless driving and racing along Beach Road in Sea Point during sunset ‘park-off’ events.

According to Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith, the driver of a white BMW tried to evade Ghost Squad officers by speeding up when they attempted to pull him over. The driver eventually came to a standstill at a parking area in Green Point, where he lost control and sideswiped another vehicle.

“Officers conducted a breathalyser test that put the suspect well over three times the prescribed legal limit. The driver was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol and reckless and negligent driving. The vehicle was also impounded in terms of the City’s Traffic By-law.”

During the operation, two other vehicles were impounded for operating without licence plates.

“We issue repeated warnings to road users about their dangerous and unlawful behaviour, to no avail. This particular ‘park-off’ gathering and the many other illegal racing events around the city elicit ongoing complaints from the public, and for good reason. We’ve impounded several vehicles since the amended Traffic By-law came into effect, so I advise scofflaws to tread carefully or face the same consequence. There are legal ways to exercise their need for speed without putting the public at risk, so they really have no excuse for their behaviour.”

Smith also appealed to the public to report similar activities.

“Report incidents and emergencies, as well as suspicious or criminal activities, to the Public Emergency Communication Centre (PECC) on 021 480 7700. By-law and traffic-related complaints can also be logged using the Safety and Security feature on the City of Cape Town app.”