Cape Town - The truck driver who damaged a bridge on the N1 outbound last Friday will appear in court tomorrow on charges of reckless and negligent driving. The truck too was impounded.
He was one of 317 suspects arrested by the City’s enforcement agencies in the past week.
Mayco Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith said that the infrastructure, economic and emotional damage caused by one person’s actions cannot be tolerated.
“I trust that the court will take these factors into account when dealing with this case. We understand that the trucking industry is an important cog in our economy, but there is a responsibility to ensure that drivers and vehicles are fit for purpose.
“Work is still under way to determine the extent of the damage to the bridge, which has caused additional ad hoc lane closures on the N1,” Smith said.
“I will be liaising with the relevant City departments to ensure that a claim for damages is instituted against the owner of the truck. I will also ask that the City’s Traffic Service works to ensure greater compliance in the trucking sector.”
Cape Town - Lower Church Street: N1 Highway bridge remains closed following Fridays #TruckCrash incident - the truck driver is due in court tomorrow on charges of reckless and negligent driving. pic.twitter.com/m1QqNqPu7q
— TrafficSA (@TrafficSA) October 14, 2024
For the period 1 August 2023 and end of August 2024, the City’s traffic service has issued 2 502 fines to the value of R1 349 100 during heavy duty vehicle enforcement just on Marine Drive.
Illegal parking, vehicle defects and unlicensed vehicles were the most common transgressions.
In general enforcement efforts in the past week, the City’s enforcement agencies arrested 317 suspects and recorded 67 519 traffic and by-law offences.
Traffic officers arrested 45 motorists - 38 were for driving under the influence of alcohol, four for reckless driving and three for other transgressions.
They recorded 61 180 offences, executed 1 855 warrants of arrest and impounded 249 public transport vehicles.
One of the motorists arrested for driving under the influence damaged two highway patrol unit vehicles when he crashed into them on the N1 on Friday, 11 October.
Law enforcement officers made 190 arrests and issued 3 372 notices, while their metro police counterparts arrested 82 suspects, issued 2 967 fines and recovered two firearms and an imitation firearm.
Officers also confiscated various quantities of drugs, including 147 kilograms of dagga from a herb stall in Woodstock.
The Public Emergency Communication Centre recorded 1 620 incidents this weekend, of which 110 were assault cases, 39 domestic violence incidents, 54 motor vehicle and pedestrian accidents and 210 noise nuisance complaints.