Gauteng police launched their Safer Festive Season operations by arresting 75 people for driving under the influence of alcohol on October 18.

During the provincial launch, Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni outlined priorities for combating crime this festive season: Intensifying roadblocks, stop-and-searches, raids on liquor outlets and patrols at taxi ranks, bus terminals, train stations and shopping centres.

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The campaign also targets the proliferation of firearms and GBVF.
Mthombeni led the multidisciplinary operation, which began on October 17.

In addition to the drunk-driving arrests, police apprehended over 1 000 people over the past weekend for various crimes:
• Johannesburg: 218 arrests for unlicensed guns, assaults, malicious damage to property and others;
• Ekurhuleni: 154 arrests for illegal liquor trading, drug possession, contravening protection orders and immigration violations;
• Tshwane: 463 arrests for crimes including car hijacking and kidnapping;
• Sedibeng and West Rand: 179 arrests for having stolen property, drug dealing, illegal liquor outlets and immigration violations.

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Detectives’ raids also resulted in arrests of suspects wanted for rape, sexual assault, murder, attempted murder, robbery, car hijacking, and GBV cases.

Those arrested will appear before various magistrate’s courts across the province from October 20, while others were released after paying admission-of-guilt fines.