Kowie battles public drinking
Cash-strapped Ndlambe powerless to stop it
ANGER is mounting in Port Alfred over the inability of police to curb rampant public drinking.
Local DA chief whip Ray Schenk yesterday said people were starting to see the popular coastal resort town “as a place where rules and laws don’t apply”. “It is all very worrying,” he said. According to Schenk public drinking had steadily increased over the past five years.
“We need to put the brakes on it; it is a big problem.”
On the December 16 public holiday, hundreds of people partied the day and night away at the Krantz braai area on the busy R67, while others openly drank and played loud music in the West Beach car park despite regular police patrols in the area.
That evening, a 27-year-old man believed to be an army officer from Grahamstown, drowned when he and two friends decided to go for a swim at the treacherous West Beach despite warning signs saying it was dangerous.
The three men soon got into difficulties and while two made it back to the beach, the third man was not so lucky.
Police spokeswoman Captain Mali Govender said several drunk and disorderly arrests had been made over the weekend as well as some for driving under the influence of alcohol.
She said besides patrolling the hotspots at the Krantz and beaches, police also had to patrol other areas too.
“Our focus is on policing these areas and preventing serious crime from taking place.”
She said marshals had been employed by the local municipality to educate the community on offences relating to the bylaws including drinking in public.
“Should the SAPS be requested to assist with unruly behaviour we will act.”
The West Beach incident was slammed by local surfer Mickey Witthuhn who said on Facebook that he saw the man drown but could do nothing to help.
He said he could not understand how the local authority could ban fireworks but then turn a blind eye to public drinking.
Businessman Eugene Catherine slammed police for targeting motorists for spot checks in town but did nothing to curb drinking on the main road and beach.
“Why always the easy soft targets? If I were a visitor, it would be the last time I’d come here.”
Ndlambe municipal spokesman Khulukile Mbolekwa said the cashstrapped local authority did not have the manpower to stop public drinking. —