North West provincial police commissioner Lt. Gen. Arthur Peter Adams and community safety and transport MEC Virginia Tsotso Tlhapi presented the province’s 2026/27 first-quarter crime statistics in Mmabatho on Wednesday (9/9).

Murders, attempted murders, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, common assault, robbery, and robbery with aggravating circumstances, which fall under contact crimes, all recorded a decrease. However, police and provincial authorities raised concerns about the continued availability of alcohol and its impact on crime and road safety.

The province has 5,259 licensed liquor premises, including taverns, restaurants, liquor stores, hotels, golf clubs and recreational clubs.

Bojanala Sub-District 1 has about 1,022 licensed liquor premises, while Bojanala Sub-District 2 has 1,475. Dr Kenneth Kaunda has 1,039, Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati 588 and Ngaka Modiri Molema 1,135. Adams stressed these figures only represent licensed liquor establishments.

“Yesterday we briefed the MEC, and she made the observation that she’s of the view there are more liquor premises than schools and churches combined.” Statistics confirm that her observation is correct, and that liquor is readily available, which leads to an increase in contact crimes, he added.

Adams also warned that the combination of widespread alcohol availability and unemployment could have serious consequences for the province.

“If we compare the availability of liquor with the unemployment rate, we are really on a path of self-destruction. I understand liquor premises contribute to the economy, but at some point we need to have a serious reflection on where we now and where we are heading.” It is the faces behind the cases that are the people bearing the brunt of crimes fuelled by liquor.

Meanwhile, an intensive drunken-driving operation in Mahikeng and surrounding areas resulted in the arrest of 102 motorists. Tlhapi said drunken driving had been identified as one of the major contributing factors to the high rate of road crashes, fatalities, and other incidents on the province’s roads.

“The high number of drunken drivers is a course of concern. This is too much and we cannot just allow lawlessness on our roads. We will, however, continue to harshly punish these culprits because they are endangering the lives of other motorists. We will not rest until we get to a level of total compliance on our roads.”

Of the 102 motorists arrested for drunken driving, 99 were male. Eighteen arrests were made through breathalyser samples, while 84 were based on blood samples. Among the three female motorists arrested, one recorded the highest limit of 0.44mg/le. The highest reading recorded among male motorists was 1.01mg/le, while another male driver recorded 0.92mg/le.

Tlhapi praised provincial traffic authorities for their efforts in combating drunken driving and encouraged officers to maintain their operations.

‘Authorities have vowed to intensify operations targeting drunken driving’

“Our officers are working hard and diligently day and night to deal with non-compliance on our roads and drunk driving is one of the major contributing factors to the number of fatalities on our roads.”

North West provincial traffic authorities said more drunken driving cases are recorded from Thursday towards the weekend. Authorities have vowed to intensify operations targeting drunken driving, particularly in identified hotspots, as part of efforts to reduce road crashes and fatalities in the province.

OFM News/ Kekeletso Mosebetsi sm

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