Cops ready for season of crime

WITH the school year coming to an end this week, the festive season is officially upon us.

Johannesburg police have warned of an increase in crime as criminals go on the festive prowl. Johannesburg police spokesperson Captain Xoli Mbele said the police had already started intensifying policing efforts in the city.

This weekend, over 1 000 suspects were arrested for crimes ranging from assault, possession of drugs and rape across the province. The majority of the arrests were in Tshwane with 400 suspects arrested for business robbery, house robbery, possession of suspected stolen property, house breaking and driving under the influence of alcohol.

Mbele said: “From now on until early in the new year, we will be intensifying our policing efforts. We caution residents to remain vigilant during the festive season. For instance, people must be careful when they draw large amounts of money.”

He said that in order to curb crime, the police had teamed up with the Johannesburg Metro Police Department and security guards working across the city.

Mbele said that since shopping malls were usually targeted during the holidays, police were monitoring them.

Other than crime during the holidays, road carnage is one of the biggest contributors to loss of life. This weekend in Mpumalanga, 11 people died and five others were injured when the taxi they were travelling in crashed into three cows and overturned. The taxi burst into flames.

Police arrested a Tshwane sports administrator after he was caught driving 175km/h in a 120km/h zone on Saturday.

“The alleged conduct of this senior official is completely unacceptable particularly when considering the high number of soccer players who die on the roads every year.

“South Africans are urged to stop making excuses and change their attitudes to road safety to reduce road accidents during this festive season,” Road Traffic Management Corporation spokesperson Simon Zwane said. The RTMC has started its holiday season visibility programme.