The cops and a soldier were among those arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol at the weekend. The Buffalo City Metro (BCM) operation netted 70 over the past few days and is set to continue into the new year.On Friday 25 drivers were arrested and 45 more on Saturday. One was alleged to have been seven times over the legal limit of 0.24mg/1000ml. The driver recorded 1.68mg/1000ml.
Operation Safer Festive Season is driven by traffic officers and national, provincial and BCM police.
Provincial transport spokesman Ncedo Kumbaca said 18 drivers had been arrested in Mdantsane, 16 in Gonubie, 11 in the East London area, 11 in Buffalo Flats, five each in Beacon Bay and Duncan Village and four in Cambridge.
Kumbaca said 66 drivers arrested were men and four women. The oldest was 69 and the youngest 19.
“Amongst the two police officers arrested, we are deeply concerned that one of them is a high ranking South African Police Services official,” Kumbaca said.
He could, however, not provide details about the arrested top cop before he appears in court this morning.
Kumbaca said blood samples were taken from all those arrested before they were detained for the mandatory four hours. Some were released on a minimum bail of R2000 ahead of their court appearances in Mdantsane and East London. “Their cases will be remanded for later dates pending their blood sample results from the laboratory.” Kumbaca – who himself was arrested and fined for drunken driving a few years back – added that the provincial government was deeply concerned about the huge number of motorists arrested.
He said this meant that motorists were continually disregarding the rules of the road.
Kumbaca said the past weekend had been targeted specifically because authorities knew there were many traditional functions, year-end work parties, people paid a few days prior and many people from outside the province starting to arrive for the holidays.
In the Mthatha area, four drivers were arrested on drunken driving charges and five for stealing cars.
Mthatha police spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Mzukisi Fatyela said notices worth more than R41000 had been issued.
“Two cars reported stolen were recovered. Three occupants, aged between 21 and 41 were arrested after a Toyota Corolla reported stolen in Ngcobo last week was stopped,” said Fatyela.
Two occupants of a Ford Bantam reported stolen in Elliot on Friday were arrested when the car, among 831 other vehicles, was stopped by police and traffic officials. — asandan@dispatch.co.za
Top cop in court today over drink driving
On Friday 25 drivers were arrested and 45 more on Saturday. One was alleged to have been seven times over the legal limit of 0.24mg/1000ml. The driver recorded 1.68mg/1000ml.
Operation Safer Festive Season is driven by traffic officers and national, provincial and BCM police.
Provincial transport spokesman Ncedo Kumbaca said 18 drivers had been arrested in Mdantsane, 16 in Gonubie, 11 in the East London area, 11 in Buffalo Flats, five each in Beacon Bay and Duncan Village and four in Cambridge.
Kumbaca said 66 drivers arrested were men and four women. The oldest was 69 and the youngest 19.
“Amongst the two police officers arrested, we are deeply concerned that one of them is a high ranking South African Police Services official,” Kumbaca said.
He could, however, not provide details about the arrested top cop before he appears in court this morning.
Kumbaca said blood samples were taken from all those arrested before they were detained for the mandatory four hours. Some were released on a minimum bail of R2000 ahead of their court appearances in Mdantsane and East London. “Their cases will be remanded for later dates pending their blood sample results from the laboratory.” Kumbaca – who himself was arrested and fined for drunken driving a few years back – added that the provincial government was deeply concerned about the huge number of motorists arrested.
He said this meant that motorists were continually disregarding the rules of the road.
Kumbaca said the past weekend had been targeted specifically because authorities knew there were many traditional functions, year-end work parties, people paid a few days prior and many people from outside the province starting to arrive for the holidays.
In the Mthatha area, four drivers were arrested on drunken driving charges and five for stealing cars.
Mthatha police spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Mzukisi Fatyela said notices worth more than R41000 had been issued.
“Two cars reported stolen were recovered. Three occupants, aged between 21 and 41 were arrested after a Toyota Corolla reported stolen in Ngcobo last week was stopped,” said Fatyela.
Two occupants of a Ford Bantam reported stolen in Elliot on Friday were arrested when the car, among 831 other vehicles, was stopped by police and traffic officials. — asandan@dispatch.co.za
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