Mapaballo Borotho
- JMPD arrested 182 motorists for drunk driving in Johannesburg during the first week of December.
- TMPD also arrested 150 drunk drivers and 39 pedestrians who were found illegally walking on highways.
- Authorities say the spike in reckless behaviour is alarming as festive road operations intensify.
More than 300 people have been arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol in the first week of December in Gauteng.
182 of these drivers were arrested across different parts of Johannesburg.
These arrests come as the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) intensifies its festive season road safety operations across the city.
JMPD spokesperson Xolani Fihla says in the City of Gold, the festive period always sees an unfortunate surge in irresponsible driving behaviour.
“These arrests were made during numerous proactive roadblocks, vehicle checkpoints, and targeted patrols across all seven regions of the city, demonstrating the department’s unwavering commitment to curbing the devastating impact of alcohol-related crashes.
The JMPD has launched continuous, high-visibility operations that will run 24/7 throughout December and into the new year,” Fihla said.
Fihla says though this is a breakthrough, the number of intoxicated motorists in Johannesburg is quite alarming.
“This is a life-and-death matter. For every person arrested, we have potentially prevented a serious crash, injury, or fatality. If you plan to consume alcohol, pre-arrange a designated sober driver,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD) arrested 150 drunk drivers in the capital city over the weekend.
TMPD spokesperson Isaac Mahamba says, in addition to this, 39 pedestrians were also arrested for being on the highway.
“It is illegal for pedestrians to be on the highway, as this poses a danger to themselves and creates a hazard for motorists. T
he recent increase in accidents and fatalities on our roads in the past weeks is a cause for concern, and the TMPD is taking proactive measures to address the root causes of these incidents by apprehending potential offenders.
Through these operations, we are sending a clear message that reckless behaviour will not be tolerated in Tshwane,” said Mahamba.
READ NEXT: Seven killed instantly in horrific N12 crash
The post Festive chaos: 300+ drunk drivers nabbed in first week of December across Gauteng appeared first on KAYA 959.
