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News – South Africa: Cele warns his drunk ‘friends’

WARNING: This is Version 1 of my old archive, so Photos will NOT work and many links will NOT work. But you can find articles by searching on the Titles. There is a lot of information in this archive. Use the SEARCH BAR at the top right. Prior to December 2012; I was a pro-Christian type of Conservative. I was unaware of the mass of Jewish lies in history, especially the lies regarding WW2 and Hitler. So in here you will find pro-Jewish and pro-Israel material. I was definitely WRONG about the Boeremag and Janusz Walus. They were for real.

Original Post Date: 2008-12-15 Time: 12:00:07  Posted By: Jan

By Heinz de Boer and Slindile Maluleka

KwaZulu-Natal Safety and Security MEC Bheki Cele says people who consider him a friend should not call him in desperation after being arrested for drinking and driving.

He made this off-the-cuff remark during a security inspection of the Durban beachfront on Friday, where he warned that traffic authorities were preparing to crack down hard on drunk drivers.

Cele came in for criticism early this year after he apparently took a friend, Durban entrepreneur Sifiso Zulu, to the scene of an accident in the city involving Zulu’s luxury vehicle.

Two congregants of the Soul’s Harbour Ministries Church were killed and 10 other members injured when Zulu’s 4X4 collided with a bakkie at the intersection of Masabalala Yengwa (NMR) Avenue and Somtseu Road on March 29.

At the time Zulu claimed he had not been the driver.

However, he was arrested after police investigations and charged with culpable homicide. The case is ongoing.

On Friday Cele said the law needed to take its course if people were arrested for drinking and driving.

“Those people who I grew up with must stop nagging me. I have told the police that anyone who lets a drunk driver go because they say they are my friend, will be fired,” Cele said.

Spirits were, meanwhile, high on Durban’s beachfront on Sunday, as sun-seekers commended police for making them feel safe.

Christopher Harrichand said tighter security measures on the beachfront were a good idea, but should not be a seasonal thing.

“The implementation should run throughout the year as the festive season is not the only time people spend time at the beach.

“It should just be made tighter around this time of the year,” said Harrichand.

Another beachgoer, Ndumiso Mzimela, said he was impressed with how police were patrolling the beachfront both on foot and in vehicles.

But the public themselves will also be the focus of police attention this festive season.

A confident Cele on Friday set his policemen a daunting task, saying they would not hesitate to crack down on drunken beach revellers – a tall order for both Metro Police and the SAPS, who have thus far largely been unable or unwilling to confront the thousands of holidaymakers who have trashed parts of the beachfront in late-night parties on the promenades and adjoining parking lots.

Speaking after Friday’s beach inspection, Cele said authorities had already identified Durban and Margate beachfronts as potential hotspots.

Asked whether police were ready to take on drunken elements, Cele said: “I promise that we will respond, no matter where chaos is happening. It is a crime to drink in public.

“People will be arrested and whatever they are drinking will be confiscated. It does not matter how drunk people may be. We will bring in sober policemen to deal with them. And sober people will always win over drunken people.”

    • Source: http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?art_id=vn20081215104248691C663907