Arrests, fines and incidents have decreased week on week in the Mother City. The City’s enforcement agencies have arrested 121 suspects. At the same time, they’ve issued nearly 18 000 fines for various transgressions. Meanwhile, the City’s Public Emergency Communication Centre (PECC) recorded just over 1 000 calls. This is less than a third compared to the previous week.
‘This long weekend was certainly quieter than the one before. I want to thank the public for heeding my appeal to celebrate responsibly,” says the Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith.
Arrests decrease
He added, “There are still some concerns and the New Year weekend wasn’t without incident. Officers arrested 66 drunk drivers. Given the carnage on our roads, there can be no leniency for those who put their own lives and that of others at risk when they are behind the wheel.’
The Metro Police Special Operations unit also recovered an illegal firearm and ammunition in Hanover Park on Sunday, 1 January 2023, when they were flagged down by a resident while busy with crime prevention patrols.
Metro Police Special Operations unit
They were tipped off about the whereabouts of a person who was involved in a shooting incident at Soetwater Court a few days prior. The officers responded and found the suspect after he tried to flee. When he was searched, officers discovered a 9mm pistol with 13 rounds in the magazine and a sealed box with another 50 x 9mm live rounds wrapped with a cloth in the yard. The 25-year-old suspect was arrested for the illegal possession of ammunition and a firearm and detained at Philippi SAPS.
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Metro Police officers also arrested an arson suspect on Saturday, 31 December 2022 after they received a complaint of a Wendy house alight in Blue Downs. Upon arrival, the complainant pointed at the suspect who had set the house alight. The 26-year-old was arrested for malicious damage to property and detained at Kleinvlei SAPS.
Integrated roadblocks, fines decrease
Cape Town Traffic Services held integrated roadblocks, vehicle checkpoints and speed control operations in the week of 25 December 2022 to 31 December 2022. A total of 29 398 speeding offences were recorded; officers impounded 75 public transport vehicles and executed 357 warrants of arrest. They also arrested 72 motorists of which 59 were driving under the influence of alcohol and six for reckless and negligent driving.
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Metro Police officers made 49 arrests and issued 2 903 fines. Officers also responded to 24 domestic violence calls, while seven of the arrests were for drunk driving.
Public Emergency Communication Centre, incidents decrease
During the period 30 December 2022 to 2 January 2023, the PECC recorded 2 717 incidents. Just over 40% of these incidents were requests for medical assistance. Call-takers also recorded 215 assault incidents, 277 nuisance complaints, and 76 domestic violence incidents.
ARTICLE COMPILED by the City of Cape Town’s Media Office
