Law enforcement agencies were hard at work during the peak festive season, making 1977 arrests, a significant increase from the 1368 recorded in December 2022.
Notable achievements include the recovery of 23 firearms and the confiscation of nearly 6000 units of narcotics. The enforcement teams were also active in addressing traffic and by-law transgressions, recording a total of 376 889 incidents.
Mayor Alderman JP Smith commended the efforts of the staff, noting the increase in arrests, particularly in drunk driving cases, as well as the significant confiscations of illegal firearms and drugs.
Law enforcement officers made 1341 arrests and issued 24 378 fines. Metro Police officers made 234 arrests, including 45 for drunk driving and Cape Town Traffic Officers made 402 arrests, including 346 for driving under the influence.
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The Fire & Rescue Service responded to a total of 3888 emergency incidents in December 2023. A significant increase in vegetation fires, up by more than 30% compared to the previous year, posed challenges for emergency responders. Unfortunately, 20 lives were lost during this period due to fire-related incidents.
The Public Emergency Communication Centre reported a decrease in assault incidents but noted a concerning 10% increase in domestic violence incidents.
The Disaster Risk Management Centre’s volunteers played a crucial role during the festive season, ensuring the safety and well-being of beachgoers at 14 locations. Despite facing challenges such as drowning incidents and blue bottle stings, the commitment and skills of the 985 volunteers proved invaluable.
In addition to managing weather-related warnings from the South African Weather Service, the Disaster Risk Management Centre coordinated responses to an increase in informal settlement fires and fires on the urban fringe.