The Johannesburg Metro Police Department and Emergency Management Services held a roadblock in Woodmead to kick off their Festive Season Operation.
In preparation for the festive season, the operation was conducted to hand out pamphlets with safety tips during the festive season while drivers and their vehicles were also searched.
Mayor of Johannesburg Herman Mashaba, the MMC for Public Safety Michael Sun and the Chief of the Metro police David Tembe were at the roadblock to offer support to the officers.
Sun explained that as the festive season begins, they wanted to ensure that residents have a safe festive season and that drivers take necessary safety precautions for themselves and their passengers.
“We really want to wish our residents a beautiful festive season but at the same time, a safe one.”
Mashaba commended the officers for the work they do and said that he would work toward ensuring that the people who do get arrested during such roadblocks are prosecuted for their crimes.
Tembe explained that they would be conducting their festive season operations until February next year to ensure that instances such as drunk driving, speeding and the use of drugs while driving.
Tembe highlighted that while the use of marijuana has been permitted for private use at home, it is still illegal for drivers to smoke the drug while driving.
“The National Road Traffic Act is very clear, no drugs or alcohol can be taken while driving.”
He also emphasised that complaints about noise and drugs in public parks and churches would also be dealt with.
Both Tembe and Mashaba highlighted that illegal churches are a big problem and they would be monitoring them over the festive season and shutting them down.
