ZWELITSHA: The Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Liziwe Ntshinga has expressed gratitude to the multi-disciplinary teams who are fast making the objectives and impact of the Safer Festive Season a reality during the 2019 / 2020 festive season operations. This follows after significant successes which included massive arrests, confiscations and operational actions over the past week in various towns and villages in the Eastern Cape.
The operations were part of the ongoing festive season campaign to turn the tide against crime under the hash tag #ZizojikaIzinto. The weekly operations are being led by the Provincial Commissioner and provincial management throughout the province. This past weekend the operations were conducted at Cala where nineteen (19) people were nabbed for driving vehicles whilst under the influence of liquor.
In line with the SAPS commitment to create a safe and secure festive season and beyond for communities and holiday makers in the province, the Safer Festive Season Operations continue to hit hard on criminals with 1 548 arrests made in the past week for various crimes. 257 suspects were arrested for liquor related crimes including illegal dealing in liquor (50) and 207 for drinking in public places. 286 of these suspects were arrested for crimes detected as a result of police action; including 124 for drug related crimes, 23 for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition and 139 for driving under the influence of alcohol/drugs. Motherwell Cluster with recorded 29 of these suspects followed by Cofimvaba with 27, Mount Road with 13, Mount Ayliff with 13, Butterworth 12 and 8 in Mdantsane and the balance across all the other clusters.
Vigilance of the members during the operations also led to the recovery 623 rounds of ammunition and 65 firearms during the period. Dangerous weapons were also confiscated including 322 knives, eight (8) pangas, seven (7) axes, four (4) fighting sticks and one (1) knobkerrie. Dealing and/or use of drugs was also dealt a blow with the recovery of 2 831 mandrax tablets. The suspects have appeared in various courts in the province, whilst some appeared today to face the charges.
General Ntshinga further thanked communities of the Eastern Cape for supporting the operations in their areas. Safer Festive Season Operation continue to deal effectively with all crime generators and to ensure that our communities and holiday makers are and feel safe during the festive season and beyond. Our commitment to enhance visible policing, stop-and-search operations and intelligence-driven operations continue to make inroads in the fight against crime during this period, concluded Eastern Cape Provincial Commissioner, Lt Gen Liziwe Ntshinga.
Source: South African Police Service