Sea Point police arrested a drunk driver on Sunday morning in Victoria Road, Bantry Bay after he allegedly drove into a group of runners, sending two joggers over the road barrier.

One of the victims, a female jogger, fell down the embankment and was found about 20 meters near the shoreline and was lifted to street level by crane. The other victim, a male jogger, managed to grab hold of the barrier after the impact and was found next to the wall.

Fire and Rescue services spokesperson Jermaine Carelse said they received an emergency call on Sunday March 30, at around 7.40am.

He said crews from Roeland Street, Sea Point and Goodwood fire stations assisted in the rescue operation, as well as a technical rescue vehicle and a rope technician.

The suspect, who was arrested on the scene for driving under the influence of alcohol and reckless and negligent driving, was due to appear in the Cape Town Magistrate's court as this edition went to print.

According to Sergeant Wesley Twigg, the two injured joggers were taken to a medical facility for medical treatment.

"Anyone with any information about this incident can contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111."

Ward councillor Nicola Jowell said it appeared that the driver, who was allegedly intoxicated at the time, took the corner incorrectly and veered onto the pavement, hitting a woman and a man who were running about 5m apart from each other.

In a statement on social media on the same day, Ms Jowell thanked the rescue team for a swift response, including a medical doctor who was running nearby and rushed to assist the woman, who is reportedly stable.

The man was discharged from the hospital and is recovering at home in Milnerton.

"He is traumatised. He isn't even speaking," said the jogger's brother, who only wanted to be identified as Phill.

He said his brother, whom he did not name, suffered bruises on both legs, stitches on his lips and a broken tooth.

"Thankfully, he caught hold of the barrier after impact and didn't slide down the cliff."

He and his brother often jogged on the same route together, but on Sunday morning, he had to work, so his brother went out on his own.

Phill said the accident has had a huge impact on his brother's well-being, as he is an e-hailing driver who has two school-going children and a baby.

"He is on bedrest, so there is no income for his family. People should not drink and drive at all. This is as good as murder because you are endangering lives and negatively impacting those who rely on those lives. My brother is a hard-working family man who cannot support his family right now."

This was the third motor vehicle accident on the Atlantic Seaboard in the past two months. In February, a dental surgeon from the Eastern Cape, Dr Ncumisa Mdlokolo, was killed by a speeding Ferrari while walking with her sister in Buitengracht Street. The driver was arrested for being under the influence of drugs and alcohol and was granted R10 000 by the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court.

Weeks later, in March, rapper 3GAR allegedly lost control of his McLaren 570S and crashed into a wall on High Level Road. He sustained minor injuries and was not arrested.

The DA has since called for the case to be wrapped up and for the driver to face charges. A statement by the DA's Nicholas Gotsell, who is a member of the Select Committee on Security and Justice and serves on the Judicial Service Commission as a parliamentary representative, said I will write to the provincial police commissioner requesting that he urgently advise when the investigation into this matter will be finalised.

"If you break the law, you must face the music – not get a hospital pass to remix reality while dodging accountability. The law applies to all; there is not a separate system for the famous and flashy."

Sergeant Twigg said this matter was still under investigation, and the case docket was at the public prosecutor for a decision.

Sea Point Community Improvement District's (SPCID's) chief operations officer, Heather Tager, said the CID continuously receives complaints about drag racing along Main and Regent roads in the early hours of the morning. The noise is often deafening, with no regard for the community living in the area, she said, and although there have been operations put in place, these have been sporadic and need consistency.

"As the SPCID, we join the list of concerns that more needs to be done, as speeding from high-performance vehicles is indeed becoming an issue across the area."

Ms Jowell added that reckless drivers needed harsher consequences.

"If people know that they can get away with breaking the law, then they are less likely to behave in a law-abiding way. It is essential that the judicial system does not allow people to get away."

Referring to the accident on Sunday, she said, "Having seen the video of this accident, it is a miracle that the two runners were not killed by the driver."

Phill encouraged people who use the roads of the Atlantic Seaboard to exercise caution.

"The roads are narrow and the surroundings are busy. There are people all the time, so please use the roads safely."

#fire

Drunk driving is 'as good as murder'

Mountain crime and fires limited over the festive season

Spike in fires during last three months of 2022 - report