Polokwane - Since New Year's Day, 92 suspects have been arrested in and around Polokwane for a string crimes ranging from public drinking to drunken driving, theft, assault and attempted murder.
The arrests were made as part of Operation Vulindlela (meaning open the way), which was implemented across the province on 14 December as part of a nationwide initiative.
Most of the cases reported in and around Polokwane since 1 January, or 65, were in the Mankweng township alone, while 27 were in the city itself.
"We discovered that liquor was the main contributor to the high crime rate in the Mankweng policing area," said Mankweng police spokesperson Warrant Officer Malan Ntjabeleng on Monday.
He said no serious offences, like murder and rape, were reported, but that two men were arrested in separate areas of Mankweng for having sex with their girlfriends in parked cars.
"They convinced their girlfriends to have sex with them in their vehicles, which were parked near residential areas. What they did was wrong because there were children and pedestrians who saw what was happening," he said.
He said the men's girlfriends were not charged as they said that they were willing to have sex with their boyfriends, but not in public.
The two men were charged with public indecency.
Polokwane police spokesperson Warrant Officer Lesiba Ramoshaba said that arrests in the city included some for possession of stolen property and dangerous weapons or dagga, as well as public drinking and drunk driving.
He said most communities around Polokwane behaved well during New Year celebrations as a result of high police visibility.
"Even the tavern and shebeen owners complied with liquor regulations and there were no minors at their outlets," he said.
He said police were warmly welcomed by the tavern and shebeen owners. "We urge them to continue this friendship with the police," he said.
No statistics were available from other policing areas in the province as yet.
