The Ghost Squad Update/Cape Town

[Hosehead]

The Cape Town Ghost Squad were out in force Sunday afternoon near the Gallows hill base making their quotas for the city coffers. They covered all entrances to and from Seapoint.

They have 4 Silver Chevy sedans with various impressive high tech equipment inside. One uniformed Traffic officer will drive and do the traffic stops. I was pulled over but I nearly didn't stop. They have a whole row of blue lights behind the front grill of the Chevys so its easy to think its the VIP brigade except these drive dark BMWs, and in your rear view the chevy looks like an Audi. Anyway it was all professional and politeness and the laws the law. They're just doing their job but in my case I could have argued they were wasting their time on a petty debatable infraction except I realised something had expired so I chose to STFU.

They have 7 VW golfs and a lot more bikes now. It was 4 but the exact number is not known but all are Honda Pan Europeans in various colours. Giveaways? Light mounts and look at the Riders boots.

I think we'll see more and more of the unmarked traffic enforcement as it's a lot more effective than the marked cars ever were. Training is much higher, and these guys are corruption proof.

 

[pgs]

Forget K53?

 

[akescpt]

Why only near the traffic department? Can't they be too far from the doughnuts?

I saw upto 4 traffic vehicles cruising on my way home last night. No enforcement just visibility.

 

[Cool E]

Was also stopped yesterday but it was just because of limpopo numberplate.

Nice guys hey.

 

[Other Pineapple Smurf]

Been seeing the ghost squad on the N2 for the last few months and while they are few, they do make a difference especially for those damn taxis.

 

[Former member 61586]

So much high tech equipment for traffic offenses (i.e. revenue generation). Yet Cape Town's drug and gangsterism is out of control. Gotta love priorities.

 

[Other Pineapple Smurf]

So much high tech equipment for traffic offenses (i.e. revenue generation). Yet Cape Town's drug and gangsterism is out of control. Gotta love priorities.

Drugs and gangsterism have been part of the Cape for many decades, no government can eradicate it over night. Perhaps you should look at some of the facts like our failed justice system, aka the courts. The fact that Zuma won't deploy the defence force in the Western Cape.

 

[Anonymous™]

Training is much higher, and these guys are corruption proof.

Awesome post but this is nonsense. Everyone has an exploitable lever; it is in our human make up. I do though get the point you making.

 

[DvD]

On Friday, I saw someone pulled over by a (brand new) red Astra with blue lights behind the windscreen and rear window. I assume it was a ghost squad car, although red is a strange colour to try and stay hidden with. 100m or so ahead, one of the ghost squad bikes (maroon coloured or something) also pulled someone over.

This was on the hill at Plattekloof on the N1.

 

[jezzad]

We should start doing this in Cape Town

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bait_car

 

[GoofySmurf]

So much high tech equipment for traffic offenses (i.e. revenue generation). Yet Cape Town's drug and gangsterism is out of control. Gotta love priorities.

Yeh funny that the ANC denied giving assistance from the army and the local police force cant deal with it ... it speaks volumes play politics rather than protect people ...

 

[Kloofvreter]

Giveaways? Light mounts and look at the Riders boots.

Don't they also have CCT numberplates?

 

[supersunbird]

Ag, up here people drive recklessly even with marked metro police vehicles in sight. Be thankful.

 

[raind33r]

who you gonna call!?

 

[froot]

Ag, up here people drive recklessly even with marked metro police vehicles in sight. Be thankful.

Traffic Police included.
I was sitting behind a NTP bakkie the other day, he was racing down Atterbury from HS all the way to the BP garage at Charles Street. At one stage he clocked over 30km/h over the speed limit. I just kept on catching him at the robots

 

[Former member 61586]

Drugs and gangsterism have been part of the Cape for many decades, no government can eradicate it over night. Perhaps you should look at some of the facts like our failed justice system, aka the courts. The fact that Zuma won't deploy the defence force in the Western Cape.

Agreed. But has road deaths and lawlessness on the roads also not been part of the Cape (the whole country in fact) for a while? And how come the "justice" system works so well when traffic fines need to be paid yet is non-existant to curb the serious and violent crimes in poor neighbourhoods? Why not put all that effort into what I assume is a bigger more threatening problem?

 

[supersunbird]

Agreed. But has road deaths and lawlessness on the roads also not been part of the Cape (the whole country in fact) for a while? And how come the "justice" system works so well when traffic fines need to be paid yet is non-existant to curb the serious and violent crimes in poor neighbourhoods? Why not put all that effort into what I assume is a bigger more threatening problem?

Traffic and bylaw enforcement are a metro/municipal affair, traffic enforcement can also be handled by provincial units from what I have seen. General policing is a national government affair and the local authorisites have limited input.

 

[AstroTurf]

Drugs and gangsterism have been part of the Cape for many decades, no government can eradicate it over night. Perhaps you should look at some of the facts like our failed justice system, aka the courts. The fact that Zuma won't deploy the defence force in the Western Cape.

No government can eradicate drugs. None have ever been successful nor will they ever be.

 

[AstroTurf]

Ag, up here people drive recklessly even with marked metro police vehicles in sight. Be thankful.

lol, saw something pretty damned amusing this morning.
Truck nearly went over a red light but managed to stop about half way into the road.
Truck driver was messing with his cellphone, saw a traffic cop on a bike stop next to him and start shouting at him through the window.

Instantly busted for reckless driving and driving whilst on a cellphone.

 

[Former member 61586]

Traffic and bylaw enforcement are a metro/municipal affair, traffic enforcement can also be handled by provincial units from what I have seen. General policing is a national government affair and the local authorisites have limited input.

Agreed. But provincial government plays an oversight role to SAPS in the province. So the myth that SAPS do not report to and have nothing to do with provincial government is nonsense. SAPS are definately accountable to some degree to provincial government.