E7.7M FROM ‘DD’, OTHERS IN 3 MONTHS

MBABANE – Despite the hefty fines for drink-driving, motorists continue to get behind the wheel while under the influence of alcohol.
This is evident in the ever-increasing number of drink-driving offences cases recorded by the traffic police on the public roads around the country.

In just three months, 1 214 motorists were arrested for the offence as stated in the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) second quarter performance report under the period from July 1 to September 30, 2019. Projections show a 22 per cent increase on the offence compared to the same period under review in the previous financial year.

Another glaring traffic offence that motorists were nabbed for was exceeding speed limits, with 19 775 arrested in the period under review and projections show a 98 per cent change as only 9 974 were arrested for this offence in the same period for the previous financial year.
The report states that the police service, as a sub-revenue collector for government, collected a sum of E9.9 million as at September 30, 2019 and E7.7 million of the money came from traffic fines which were inclusive of drink- driving and exceeding speed limit.

The other prioritised traffic offences were overloading, safety belt, negligent driving, pedestrian offences and unroadworthy vehicles. Other revenue items that pumped in the money for government include judicial fines and sundry fees. “The trio of drink-driving, over-speeding and driving without due care still feature as casual factors for accidents,” reads part of the report.

In the period under review, police undertook different traffic operations along the country’s roads and the activities included 603 roadblocks, 2 118 roadside checks, 840 speed control and 260 road safety activities.

mandate

“The organisation continued to carry its mandate of ensuring road safety through a three pronged approach including heightening visibility on the roads and highways, educating road users on traffic accident prevention as well as vigorous enforcement of traffic laws,” states the report.
Meanwhile, notable breakthroughs in serious crimes included in the report were the arresting of six men who committed a string of armed robberies in the Manzini and Shiselweni regions.

These include the robbery of a businessman at Sidvokodvo who had E15 000 in cash taken at gunpoint, simultaneous robbery of two business outlets at Luve where cash amounting to E38 000 and E20 000 was taken, a hijacked Isuzu valued at E250 000 which was at Manzini CBD and later found abandoned at lwandle and a robbery of a business outlet where cash amounting to E316 000 was stolen in Nhlangano.

A revolver with four live rounds of ammunition was recovered together with a sum of E76 000 from the suspects.
Three suspects were also arrested for a string of copper-wire theft committed in Malkerns, Matsapha and Mliba corridor valued at E3.2 million.

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