Over the festive season residents may see a sleek new mobile alcohol evidence centre making the rounds of roadblocks in East London to do rapid on-the-spot checks to determine whether a driver is under the influence.
This is intended to help BCMM Traffic Services collect admissible evidence which can be used to persecute intoxicated drivers.
The mobile AEC was donated by SAB last year in line with a partnership they have established with BCMM Traffic Services.
Throughout this year the mobile AEC was based mainly in Qonce however it will be dispatched to hotspots across the city during the festive season.
SAB refurbished the alcohol evidence centre at Braelynn Traffic Services in 2021 and in 2022 provided BCMM and Nelson Mandela Bay with mobile units.
The mobile AEC is a repurposed emergency services vehicle that includes, a breathalyser operator cubicle, CCTV system, medical fridge, personal protective equipment (PPE) and office equipment.
The unit is worth R1,1m, the costs of which were covered by SAB.
By donating mobile AECs, SAB hopes to reduce the average number of road fatalities by 50% by 2030.
SAB communications manager Thato Radise said that the success of law enforcement and road safety programmes was connected to gathering accurate evidence and data through technology such as the mobile AECs. Radise said SAB was committed to playing an active role in encouraging responsible drinking.
“SAB will be championing responsibility by empowering our authorities to enforce regulations with world class infrastructure and technology to process drunk arrests.
“(Nationwide) we have 20 SAB-sponsored AECs in operation, with a further five to be added by December.”
Ward 18 councillor Jason MacDowell has been working with the community in Nahoon to help patrol Nahoon Beach to deter public drinking and underage drinking on the beach.
Through collaboration with law enforcement, MacDowell has been able to stop pens down parties and assist with SAPS roadblocks to prevent beachgoers from entering parking lots with alcohol.
MacDowell said: “I think that it is fantastic that SAB donated the mobile alcohol testing unit to BCMM.
“I have requested on numerous occasions that drunk driving operations be held in ward 18, but I have not seen any such operation as yet.”
BCMM spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya was approached for comment regarding where the mobile unit would travel to in the metro during December however he had not replied by time of print.
