Drinking, reckless driving cost Windhoekers dearly

PUBLIC drinking and reckless driving cost people in Windhoek almost a million Namibia dollars over the festive season.

The Namibian Police, together with the Windhoek City Police, revealed yesterday that they issued fines totalling N$840 150 in only two months. The bulk of these fines were for traffic violations and drinking in public, they said.The Police annually conduct a Festive Season Operation, focusing on different themes each year.From the end of November last year to January 13 this year, NamPol and the recently established City Police paid special attention to traffic safety and liquor-related offences.During this period, fines for traffic violations in Windhoek alone totalled N$818 150.Public drinking was a close second – 110 people were fined N$22 000, Khomas Deputy Regional Commander Andries Van der Byl said yesterday.The previous year’s campaign focused on confiscating illegal firearms, so the success of the two operations could not be compared, said Police Chief Inspector Derek Brune.No unlicensed firearms were found during routine checks during the past summer holidays.The Festive Season Operation ended with 40 bottle stores receiving summonses for operating after hours, 26 illegal immigrants and 34 drunken drivers being arrested, and nine other people being arrested for drug-related offences.The Police caught seven housebreakers red-handed, and one person was arrested for attempted rape.On the traffic safety side, 58 cars were caught without number plates, 28 vehicles had defective brakes, and 180 cars were found not properly licensed.Forty-one motorists were caught using cellphones while driving, and 594 drove without drivers’ licenses.The Festive Season Operation is a special operation and these statistics do not include normal day-to-day Police activities.The bulk of these fines were for traffic violations and drinking in public, they said.The Police annually conduct a Festive Season Operation, focusing on different themes each year.From the end of November last year to January 13 this year, NamPol and the recently established City Police paid special attention to traffic safety and liquor-related offences.During this period, fines for traffic violations in Windhoek alone totalled N$818 150.Public drinking was a close second – 110 people were fined N$22 000, Khomas Deputy Regional Commander Andries Van der Byl said yesterday.The previous year’s campaign focused on confiscating illegal firearms, so the success of the two operations could not be compared, said Police Chief Inspector Derek Brune. No unlicensed firearms were found during routine checks during the past summer holidays.The Festive Season Operation ended with 40 bottle stores receiving summonses for operating after hours, 26 illegal immigrants and 34 drunken drivers being arrested, and nine other people being arrested for drug-related offences.The Police caught seven housebreakers red-handed, and one person was arrested for attempted rape.On the traffic safety side, 58 cars were caught without number plates, 28 vehicles had defective brakes, and 180 cars were found not properly licensed.Forty-one motorists were caught using cellphones while driving, and 594 drove without drivers’ licenses.The Festive Season Operation is a special operation and these statistics do not include normal day-to-day Police activities.