Illegal street racing in Cape Town quickly being brought to an end

Cape Town - The City of Cape Town’s Traffic Services held various Illegal street racing enforcement operations over the last week, which the City said appears to be on the increase again.

During an operation in Sea Point on 6 September 2020, officers suspended 35 vehicles for being unroadworthy.

During another illegal street racing operation held in Bellville South and Century City areas on Thursday, 10 September 2020, officers arrested five suspects - four for reckless and negligent driving and one for driving under the influence of alcohol.

On the same evening, officers attached to the Ghost Squad were on patrol when three motorcyclists sped past them on the N1 near Durban Road.

The officers immediately gave chase and caught up to the superbikes on the M5, between Berkley Road and the N2, where the motorcyclists were arrested.

The trio was detained at Maitland police station where they were charged with reckless and negligent driving.

Officers were able to pursue and catch up to speedsters in the new high performance vehicles the Ghost Squad has acquired. Members of the squad went for advanced driving training so they are able to handle the vehicles safely at high speeds.

On Saturday, 12 September 2020, officers conducted an operation in the Athlone and Mitchells Plain areas, where they arrested 19 suspects.

Six of those were collared for reckless and negligent driving and 11 for driving under the influence of alcohol.

For the week’s operations, the Ghost Squad netted a total of 22 suspects.

“Reckless and negligent driving is a serious offence as it not only puts the life of the driver and passengers at risk, but also other road users. The number of drunk driving arrests during the same operations is an indicator that these offences are usually linked,” said the City’s Mayco Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith.

“It is absolutely mind-boggling that, despite the many deaths that have come about because of drunk driving and reckless and negligent driving, people still get behind the wheel and engage in this type of behaviour.”

Cape Argus