City clamps down on illegal street racing

Mayco Member JP Smith.

The City of Cape Town’s Ghost Squad has been holding weekly operations at illegal street racing hot spots.

JP Smith, mayoral committee member for safety and security and social services, said it was worrying that “many of the illegal racers are young people using their parents’ vehicles without their knowledge”.

Minors had also been found participating in illegal street racing with their older brothers and cousins and sometimes even their fathers.

Mr Smith said a female passenger had been charged with solicitation after offering a Ghost Squad officer sexual favours to “dissuade him from charging the driver” during a recent Milnerton operation.

“It’s unfortunate that we have to devote such significant resources to police bad behaviour fuelled by a reckless need for speed,” said Mr Smith.

“I also call on parents to do some serious introspection about allowing their children on the road in their cars – not just behind the wheel but also in the back seat.”

Traffic vehicles, he said, were now being equipped with dashboard cameras to aid prosecution in reckless and negligent driving cases.”