Festive season crackdown: Over 200 motorists arrested for drunk driving in Johannesburg
One of the motorists arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol.
Image: Picture: JMPD / X
A total of 227 motorists were arrested for drunk driving in Johannesburg in seven days as the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) intensified law enforcement operations during the peak of the festive season.
In a statement, the JMPD said officers conducted a series of high-visibility roadblocks, roving patrols and targeted operations across all regions of the city between December 15 and 21.
Commenting on the arrests, JMPD Chief of Police Commissioner Patrick Jaca emphasised the seriousness of the situation.
“We are seeing very high numbers of accidents on our roads, and more people are being killed. It is our responsibility to ensure that this does not continue and that we reduce these numbers.
“Each arrest made represents a potential tragedy averted and a commitment to protecting innocent residents and visitors. We will build a force feared by transgressors but trusted by the people.”
The JMPD said it will continue with its Festive Season Safety Campaign and Operations, adopting a zero-tolerance approach to traffic violations. Officers will remain deployed 24 hours a day on major routes and identified hotspots to ensure compliance with the law.
Motorists were urged to designate a sober driver before heading out, to use e-hailing services or public transport if consuming alcohol, and to obey the rules of the road to ensure everyone reaches their destination safely.
Meanwhile the Durban Metro Police members conducted a warrant enforcement operation in the CBD this week.
A total of 13 suspects were arrested for outstanding warrants. Ten of them were released after paying their outstanding fines while the remainder were detained.
In the eThekwini Municipality, traffic fines can be checked by emailing Traffic.Fines@durban.gov.za