Thousands of
fines and multiple arrests as Cape Town cops keep festive season revelers in
check.
The City of Cape Town made dozens of arrests and issued close on 2
000 fines in the past week in efforts to clamp down on festive season
crime.
According to the city’s mayoral committee member for safety and
security, alderman JP Smith, 22 people had been arrested by Metro police and
1992 fines issued for by-law and traffic contraventions.
Arrests made for drunk driving, assault and more
Those arrested face charges of assault, possession of dangerous
weapons, drunk driving, and possession of illegal property and imitation
firearms.
Of particular concern were four arrests in Khayelitsha on charges
of domestic violence, said Smith.
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“We
know that domestic violence is a massive problem in many households. It is
fuelled by substance abuse, which unfortunately increases over this time of
year and puts people at risk out and about, but also in their own homes.
“I
encourage any person who finds themselves in an abusive situation to call for
help. Our public emergency communication centre will dispatch the appropriate
resources.
“Our
city enforcement staff are trained to handle domestic violence cases and will
step in if required, but they can’t if they don’t know that it is happening,”
said Smith.
Metro Police officers also conducted various social crime
prevention awareness sessions. They were joined by Smith and Cape Town
executive mayor Dan Plato.
Cape Town’s safety initiative
The group distributed hundreds of pamphlets outlining various
safety tips for the public, particularly over the festive season.
“It
is the function of policing agencies to keep the public safe, but civilians too
have a role to play in ensuring their own safety by being mindful of what
criminals get up to and how they exploit innocent people.
“As we enter the last-minute pre-Christmas rush, I appeal to the
public to be aware of their surroundings at all times, and to be wise to the
risks like ATM fraud and robberies. Rather shop in groups, be discreet in the
handling of cash, and please always keep an eye on your personal belongings,”
said Smith.
Thousands of
fines and multiple arrests as Cape Town cops keep festive season revelers in
check.
The City of Cape Town made dozens of arrests and issued close on 2
000 fines in the past week in efforts to clamp down on festive season
crime.
According to the city’s mayoral committee member for safety and
security, alderman JP Smith, 22 people had been arrested by Metro police and
1992 fines issued for by-law and traffic contraventions.
Arrests made for drunk driving, assault and more
Those arrested face charges of assault, possession of dangerous
weapons, drunk driving, and possession of illegal property and imitation
firearms.
Of particular concern were four arrests in Khayelitsha on charges
of domestic violence, said Smith.
AlsoRead
“We
know that domestic violence is a massive problem in many households. It is
fuelled by substance abuse, which unfortunately increases over this time of
year and puts people at risk out and about, but also in their own homes.
“I
encourage any person who finds themselves in an abusive situation to call for
help. Our public emergency communication centre will dispatch the appropriate
resources.
“Our
city enforcement staff are trained to handle domestic violence cases and will
step in if required, but they can’t if they don’t know that it is happening,”
said Smith.
Metro Police officers also conducted various social crime
prevention awareness sessions. They were joined by Smith and Cape Town
executive mayor Dan Plato.
Cape Town’s safety initiative
The group distributed hundreds of pamphlets outlining various
safety tips for the public, particularly over the festive season.
“It
is the function of policing agencies to keep the public safe, but civilians too
have a role to play in ensuring their own safety by being mindful of what
criminals get up to and how they exploit innocent people.
“As we enter the last-minute pre-Christmas rush, I appeal to the
public to be aware of their surroundings at all times, and to be wise to the
risks like ATM fraud and robberies. Rather shop in groups, be discreet in the
handling of cash, and please always keep an eye on your personal belongings,”
said Smith.
