Metro pleased with holiday season
Metro Police said from a police perspective, the festive season went very well.
ETHEKWINI enjoyed a bumper Christmas and New Year season with thousands of visitors from across the country flocking to Durban to celebrate and enjoy the holidays.
Although the beaches were packed to capacity, the crowds were generally well behaved except for a few challenges that were caused by patrons under the influence of alcohol.
According to Snr Supt Eddie von Bargen, divisional commander of Metro Police for the Beach Central Region, from the police’s perspective, the festive season went very well.
“Considering the numbers of visitors to the central beach areas and the lack of serious incidents we are pretty pleased with the results. Generally the public were better behaved and appeared more tolerant of each other. The strict focus on the drinking of alcohol along the beach has resulted in less violence and anti-social behaviour. There where people who consumed alcohol, however the numbers have decreased,” he said.
Von Bargen said the beachfront roads were closed earlier on busy days which resulted in far less congestion along OR Tambo, which also lessened the frustration levels of the local business and residential community.
“The strategic policing by metro police with the help of Isidingo, SAPS, Parks Law Enforcement and the UIP’s paid off. As usual the indiscriminate lighting of fireworks by irresponsible people caused numerous problems, and used up police resources that could have been applied elsewhere. However, we must thank the visitors for their generally good behaviour, as this makes our task much easier,” he said.
Between New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, 324 135 people visited various Durban beaches, 42 rescues were carried out and 973 people received first aid for various medical reasons.
About 688 people received warnings for transgressions, including vagrants, vendors, drunken patrons, fighting, illegal braaiing and alcohol use.
