City of Cape Town says safety services prepared for long weekend

The City of Cape Town said that its safety services are prepared for the long weekend.

Safety officials said roads and public amenities will be a key focus as peak festive season celebrations commence.

However, officials have urged the public to refrain from throwing caution to the wind.

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The city said that its festive season safety plan includes increased patrols on the roads and places of public interest, like beaches and other public open spaces.

Law enforcement officers have also kept close tabs on public transport vehicles leaving major interchangeson long-distance trips.

City Mayco Member for Safety and Security JP Smith said that those operations resulted in more than 3,000 fines being issued for various offences, including overloading and unlicensed motor vehicles.

Smith said city police made 157 arrests for driving under the influence of alcohol since the start of December.

"These statistics will increase in the days ahead, which is unfortunate, considering how many times we’ve sung the same refrain about responsible behaviour, in particular around alcohol use."

Smith said the arrests, fines and confiscations also indicate the city's work being done to reduce harm during the festive season.