Here’s how many drivers were arrested on Good Friday in Joburg

Johannesburg’s roads turned deadly in the opening days of the Easter long weekend, with the city’s metro police making over a hundred drunk driving arrests and responding to two fatal accidents in just two days. The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department has launched an intensified Easter Safety Campaign, deploying officers at strategic points across the city to intercept drunk drivers and reduce road fatalities during one of the country’s most dangerous travel periods. In the first 48 hours alone, the operation yielded significant results and revealed a troubling pattern of behaviour on Johannesburg’s roads.

According to the JMPD on Thursday, 02 April, 39 motorists were arrested for drunk driving. The following day, Good Friday, that number more than doubled, with 82 suspects taken into custody, bringing the two-day total to 121 arrests. JMPD spokesperson Superintendent Xolani Fihla said the figures reflect a disturbing disregard for public safety.

“There is no excuse for such behaviour, which places innocent lives at risk,” he said. Fihla added that, despite the high arrest numbers, the department’s on-the-ground presence remains unwavering. “Our operations will remain in full force across all regions to ensure the safety of our community,” he said.

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Beyond the drunk driving arrests, the Easter weekend has already claimed two lives. On Thursday, 02 April, JMPD officers attended to a fatal accident involving a pedestrian. Less than 24 hours later, on Good Friday, a second fatality occurred, this time involving a passenger.

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