By Claire Senior and Sapa
Motorists will receive no sympathy from metro police if found to be over the alcohol limit.
The Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni metro police departments have increased operations during the holiday season to ensure that law-abiding citizens are safe and feel secure.
"When a person makes the choice to drink and drive, they should remember that they are putting other people's lives in danger," said Johannesburg metro police spokesperson Inspector Edna Mamonyane.
Tshwane metro police Director Mel Vosloo said officers would show no sympathy to those who broke the law.
"We have been conducting at least one roadblock in Tshwane every day since the beginning of December," he added.
Ekurhuleni metro police have also intensified their campaign, holding roving and static roadblocks in the area.
"Officers will conduct operations on freeways so as to keep the roads safe, to book offenders and assist motorists," said Wilfred Kgasago from the Ekurhuleni metro police.
Saying they would embark on joint operations with the SAPS until mid-January, Kgasago added that people found drinking in public would be fined or arrested if they failed to produce identification or proof of residence.
"We want the public to know that if they step over the line they will be brought to book."
Meanwhile North Rand police have arrested 455 people during a blitz in Ekurhuleni, including a 35-year-old man believed to be a hijacking and robbery kingpin.
Spokesperson Superintendent Eugene Opperman said the man, expected to appear in the Kempton Park magistrate's court on Monday, was arrested at his hideout in Tembisa on the East Rand.
He was wanted in connection with 14 cases of armed robbery in Gauteng and was also believed to have been involved in hijackings and armed robberies in Mpumalanga and Gauteng.
The others were arrested at roadblocks during nightclub searches and in swoops on hideouts for crimes ranging from murder and armed robbery to rape, burglary and drunken and reckless driving.
Several arrests were for drinking in public, illegal pointing of a firearm, serious assault, and possession of stolen firearms and illegal drugs such as cocaine and dagga.
Several stolen or hijacked vehicles were seized.
Opperman said a number of traffic fines were issued to motorists during the roadblocks, manned by about 350 police officers, Ekurhuleni metro police and provincial transport officials.
The roadblocks were in place on highway routes from the East Rand, Johannesburg and Pretoria to Polokwane in Limpopo, and on main arterial roads.
"Our intention is to have intensified, high-visibility operations throughout our area until the middle of January," said Opperman.
"We will be on these highways throughout the festive season at different times, on different days and at different places."