Transport and Public Works

(1) (a) and (b)

The Directorate Traffic Law Enforcement has adopted a quarterly approach to its tactical planning in order to continuously improve co-ordination, implementation of operational strategies linked to operational demands and the effective reporting of statistical information. Even though we are committed to an integrated approach towards Disaster Management Act (DMA) enforcement while pandemic conditions are in place, our core responsibilities towards road safety has, and will, remain a priority. Weekly focus areas in line with operational objectives have been communicated to all operational staff in order to ensure effective and smart deployment.

The tactical plan includes priority operations linked to specific traffic exodus and entry, as well as expected volumes of traffic from November 2020 till 31 January 2021. The tactical plan guides the operational plans in all districts to ensure that major contributory factors towards road crashes are strictly enforced and regulated. The plan places a specific focus on driver behaviour and driving while intoxicated, and will be strictly enforced, especially in coastal areas during the festive season.

Despite the suspension of breath alcohol testing during the pandemic, our officials have successfully arrested many drivers for being under the influence of alcohol while driving, which followed blood alcohol testing procedures. There were also a significant number of arrests made for reckless and negligent driving and other offences. Following a proper assessment of current infrastructure and safety protocols, the Western Cape is working to implement the control measures necessary to protect our officers and the public. This is in order to re-implement breath alcohol testing at our Alcohol Evidentiary Centres and mobile breath testing units by 1 December 2020.

As the lead agent of Traffic Law Enforcement in the WC, the Directorate has initiated integration between all role-players to ensure the collaboration and aligning of operational and tactical planning in preparation for the upcoming festive season. We have activated all plans in readiness for the critical festive period. The Directorate Traffic Law Enforcement has been a front-line service throughout the management of this pandemic and has placed a lot of emphasis on COVID-19 safety protocols to ensure that we minimise risk to our officials and members of the public.

All officials have been equipped and will continue to be issued with PPE items on a regular basis to make sure that their safety remains a priority. The appointment of Covid-19 Compliance Officers in all regions will ensure safety measures are being implemented correctly during the execution of officer’s duties and they will be kept abreast of any changes to the health protocols and regulations that should arise. The wellbeing and safety of all staff have remained a priority, and will continue to be throughout the pandemic.

(2) Yes. The critical periods have been prioritised to ensure that we have an adequate number of officers deployed on all major routes to create an effective omnipresence to both discourage and deal with unlawful and reckless driver behaviour. The re-deployment of our officers to the critical routes will take place during the festive season which promotes the effective utilisation of resources when and where they are needed the most.

The integration of resources across all role-players significantly assists in increasing the number of resources at strategic locations, which will strengthen the achievement of operational focus areas and objectives.                         

(3)   The Western Cape has pro-actively planned for the festive season in line with quarterly tactical objectives and the alignment to the National 365 Road Safety Calendar prior to National/RTMC engagements, which made the task easier in terms of operational readiness. The necessary operational plans have been approved and implemented as such since 1 October 2020.

The Provincial Traffic Centres have been working extremely closely with all respective SAPS cluster offices in the Western Cape. The partnership continues to strengthen by ensuring that proper integration takes place to streamline operational demands and the effective utilisation of resources through joint operations. The Provincial LETCOM (Law Enforcement Technical Committee) that was hosted in mid-October made provision for all role-players to highlight their festive season focal areas. These were incorporated within the District plans and will be implemented as integrated efforts to curb lawlessness and criminal activities.

(4)   Yes. The District operational plans for the Metro includes all facets of the City of Cape Town’s responsibilities and through proper planning and implementation will promote the integration of resources to effectively deal with Traffic Law Enforcement issues within the Metropolitan area.

(5)   (a) and (b)

Awareness of alcohol as the major contributory factor to road crashes and road fatalities will be heightened throughout the festive season for drivers and pedestrians. The planned re-implementation of breath alcohol testing will relieve the pressure being placed on hospitals, and ensure the rapid and effective prosecution of intoxicated drivers. The ongoing partnership with the Western Cape Department of Health will ensure that Traffic Centres that are not equipped with AECs or mobile alcohol testing units will continue with blood alcohol testing at local day hospitals and medical centres. We will be stringently applying the law to drivers who endanger the lives of others and themselves by safeguarding our roads against lawlessness.

The Western Cape Safely Home campaign and our Road Safety Management Directorate have collaborated in a joint communication campaign for the upcoming festive season through roadside awareness programs, live radio interviews and adverts, social media platforms and community interventions to educate all road users on the use and dangers of alcohol use while using a public road, offer alternative actions as road users and sensitise them on the consequences thereof. Education and enforcement have an equal role to play in Road Safety interventions to appeal to the greater public to obey the rules of the road and to share our road space in a responsible manner. Our joint partnerships with ChildSafe and the Road Accident Fund have also been included in the awareness campaigns which have been included in the integrated festive season plan.

Additional activities by the Safely Home campaign will include:

1. Awareness campaigns on social media and cinema to highlight the re-implementation of breath alcohol testing;
2. an awareness drive highlighting road safety for pedestrians;
3. an activation in the Overstrand (a key holiday destination), to highlight road safety issues.  

   (6)    

Western Cape Province - DUI Arrests: 2016/07/01 - 2020/10/31
	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	Total
January	229	82	153	230	239	933
February	199	85	91	178	234	787
March	210	104	132	176	112	734
April	226	138	119	207	10	700
May	172	123	200	264	13	772
June	170	147	139	242	18	716
July	174	196	149	255	7	781
August	139	199	199	363	46	946
September	120	228	209	262	48	867
October	188	171	172	239	44	814
November	99	170	178	248		695
December	124	270	270	361		1025
Total	2050	1913	2011	3025	771	9770