The City’s Law Enforcement Liquor Enforcement Unit has confiscated 14 088 bottles of alcohol, amounting to 7 043 litres, for the period 18 October to 28 December.

These statistics trump the 2019 figures by quite a stretch – back then just over 4000 litres was confiscated.

Mayoral Committee Member JP Smith said:

“Alcohol confiscations are a big talking point each year, and while many make light of it, it is actually an indictment on our society and its dysfunctional relationship with alcohol.

We remind the public yet again, that alcohol is prohibited in public open spaces, including all of the City’s beaches. Anyone caught flouting the rules will be fined and their alcohol will be confiscated.

For safety’s sake, please do not drink and drive or walk, ever, and do not consume alcohol in public spaces, particularly around water bodies.”

Law enforcement have also been kept busy trying to keep criminals at bay on the City’s beaches.

On 26 December Law Enforcement officers in the Big Bay area were approached by members of the public who informed them their bag was stolen on the beach.

The bag contained cell phones, car keys, and a wallet. Another group of public members also approached the officers and said they also had their phones stolen but had managed to track and locate their phones.

The officers went to the location where the phones had last reported from and found a bag containing a number of cellphones, underneath a Maroon vehicle with an occupant inside.

Upon interviewing the suspect, the officers discovered more cell phones inside the vehicle and an undisclosed amount of cash that the suspect could not account for.

The victims positively identified the bag inside the car as their property. The suspect was arrested and taken to Tableview SAPS.

A total of 7 phones, the wallet and the car keys were recovered.