A Provincial Traffic Officer working on a hand-held device where he can monitor traffic offenders. Picture: Henk Kruger, African News Agency(ANA)
A MOTORIST who has allegedly racked up a whopping 169 double warrants for traffic violations spent the weekend behind bars after being arrested by Cape law enforcement officers at the weekend.
Officials said the warrants were valued at just under R160,000.
"The suspect was arrested along Main Road in St James during patrols on Friday morning for 169 double warrants outstanding, with a monetary value of R158,100. He was detained at Muizenberg SAPS and is scheduled to appear in the Blue Down’s Magistrate’s Court," said Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith, in a statement.
"The arrest is a timely reminder of our ongoing struggle with those who simply have no regard for the law. Beyond just the staggering value of the unpaid fines, one needs to realise that it represents transgressions like speeding, overloading and other driving offences that put lives at risk, and unnecessarily," Smith said.
He said the suspect was third on the list of the Traffic Service’s list of Top 100 motorists with outstanding warrants, and was among the 251 arrested by the City’s enforcement services recently.
"The arrest comes just weeks after the Traffic Services arrested another person on the Top 100 list in Epping, with 275 warrants totalling R213,500. A third person was arrested at his home in Hanover Park for 28 warrants totalling R22,600. During general enforcement efforts over the past week, the Traffic Service recorded 45,822 transgressions, impounded 250 public transport vehicles and executed 1,617 warrants of arrest," Smith said.
He added that 58 arrests were effected; 31 for driving under the influence, 12 for reckless and negligent driving and 15 others on various charges.
Meanwhile, law enforcement officers made 172 arrests and issued 2,880 notices with the metro police effecting 21 arrests and issuing 1,921 fines.
Smith said at the weekend, officials also recovered dagga in Lavender Hill.
"A 53-year-old suspect was detained at Steenberg SAPS. In Heideveld, K9 Khalesi sniffed out various quantities of dagga – the drugs were booked in at Manenberg SAPS as abandoned. The Public Emergency Communication Centre recorded 1 804 incidents between Friday and Sunday," Smith said.
Officials also attended to 112 cases of assault, 31 of domestic violence and 84 motor vehicle and pedestrian vehicle accidents.
"As we prepare to extend the roll-out of automated number plate recognition technology, I want to warn those who scoff at laws that it’ll become increasingly more difficult to hide. The software will help us identify a range of things while in transit, from stolen vehicles to outstanding warrants and more, so I’d advise motorists to have their affairs in order," Smith said.