Driving under the influence of alcohol remains the greatest concern for Cape Town’s Traffic Services, as drunk drivers represented a quarter of the arrests made over the Reconciliation Day long weekend.
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In a statement, the City of Cape Town said that 121 motorists were arrested, of whom 76 were for driving under the influence, 110 public transport vehicles were impounded and 963 warrants of arrest were executed.
“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,” said Mayco Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith. “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. However, with the good comes the bad,” he said.
The Public Emergency Communication Centre 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.
“The drunk driving arrests, domestic violence incidents and a number of assault cases 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,” said Smith.
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