A suspected drunk driver landed himself in a spot of trouble after he was stopped at a roadblock at the weekend. The man found himself explaining to Police Minister Bheki Cele why he got behind the wheel after spending the evening at a 60th birthday party.
A SUSPECTED drunk driver landed himself in a spot of trouble after he was stopped at a roadblock at the weekend. The man found himself explaining to to Police Minister Bheki Cele why he got behind the wheel after spending the evening at a 60th birthday party.
According to the police ministry’s spokesperson, Lirandzu Themba, the driver and a passenger were on their way home when they were stopped while passing through a roadblock on the M17 in Gqeberha.
She said the driver claimed he was drinking medicine.
In a video of the incident, Cele is seen approaching the driver. He then asks the driver why he was drinking and driving.
An officer then tells Cele that the driver did not have his driver’s licence and showed officers his licence on his cellphone.
Cele and the Eastern Cape police commissioner, Major-General Nomthetheleli Lillian Mene, took part in the crime-prevention operation with officers from the TRT and K9 units, focusing on some of the troublesome policing areas in Gqeberha.
Cele said police management in each province must understand that crime multiplied on weekends.
“Our crime statistics show that some crimes are prevented through increased police visibility. So it goes without saying that the time for sitting in air-conditioned offices is over, commanders must walk with their members and ensure that while operational plans are implemented, they are at the forefront of nurturing community relations whilst they strengthen the connections between police and community policing structures,” he said.
The police operations, which include patrols, stop-and-search operations, vehicle checkpoints and roadblocks, are now a weekly national policing feature that aims to prevent crime and improve police visibility and response time in all provinces.
