Drunken driving on the increase in Joburg
The latest statistics show that the number of people arrested for drunken
driving increased
in November.
The Johannesburg Metro Police released the latest crime stats for the city on Tuesday.
The stats, delivered by the Chief of Police David Tembe and Mayor Herman Mashaba, show that 821 drunken drivers were arrested in November, an increase from 671 in October.
Tembe says metro police officers will maintain a high visibility during the festive season in a bid to curb drinking and driving.
ALSO READ:Tristan-Lee Niemand, 6 others, set to return to SA
“You will see our vehicles on the freeways, you will see our vehicles in most streets that have high fatalities. We are going to raid places of entertainment; they must comply because in those places like sheebeens and Kiss Kiss, that is where drugs are being sold. That is where crime takes place in terms of rape, it happens there. People getting assaulted, shootings etc.
“We will be everywhere, ourselves and other law enforcement agencies. We are going to visit all the parks because that is where people celebrate and we want them to celebrate freely. We will protect them and in protecting them we expect them to abide by the rules of those places.”
Mashaba, however, cautions that the arrests are often short-lived.
He says the lack of prosecution makes it difficult for law enforcement officers to do their jobs.
“Recently, Parliament’s portfolio committee on police raised concern over the turnaround time in prosecuting the bulk of corruption cases reported to the police. Committee chairperson Francois Beukman revealed that some cases had not been taken further for prosecuting eight years after they had been reported to the police.”
The mayor says as soon as newly appointed head of the NPA, Shamila Batohi, assumes office next year, the city will request a meeting with her.
“I sincerely hope that the incoming NDPP Adv Shamila Batohi will heed the committee’s words and act on the information that the City of Johannesburg has passed onto the NPA in the recent months. Once she assumes office February 2019, the city will request an urgent meeting to present directly to her the criminal matters we referred to her predecessors.”