When has drinking in public been made legal
I find such apathy, and ignorance of the Law by our senior law enforcement officials worrying.
EDITOR – I am shocked to read the SAPS response to the article, Nagle Sq ‘fast becoming hell’ in the Sun on 27 June.
Since when has drinking in public been made legal?
I would request that Col Vorster please show us residents the amended bylaws that corroborate that statement.
To the best of my knowledge the Criminal Procedure act 51 of 1977, Schedule 2, is quite clear relating to the illicit possession of intoxicating liquor.
Furthermore, in terms of the bylaw, Municipal Notice No 140 of 2000, relating to the control of public behaviour, section 1.0 general, that anyone who behaves in the manner that is described in the above mentioned article is guilty of an offence and can be imprisoned for a period not exceeding six months or fined, or both.
I find such apathy, and ignorance of the law by our senior law enforcement officials worrying.
The fact that Col Vorster even mentioned he brought in ‘the municipal fire and health department’ to ‘examine the place’ indicates to me that he is totally unaware that there are laws in place to control such contraventions, or he is unwilling to take a stand and deploy police officials from the SAPS andor the Metro Police to this area and clean the place up.
It would be interesting to hear how he and his officers would react if the residents of Nagle Square took the law into their own hands, and attempted to eradicate these abhorrent elements.
It makes one wonder what is being protected in that area.
