KZN leads festive season drunk driving figures, minister calls for law change

KZN recorded the highest alcohol reading over the festive season, with one motorist testing fourteen times above the legal limit.

This was revealed by the Department of Transport, which recently released a report on the 2025/26 Festive Season Road Safety Campaign.

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“Over the festive season, our combined law enforcement officers conducted 1 632 roadblocks in which 1.8 million vehicles were stopped and checked.

“More than 450 000 traffic fines were issued, and 525 people were arrested for excessive speeding.

“Roadblocks and vehicle inspections targeted roadworthiness, driver fitness, and licensing.

“A total of 173 695 drivers were tested for driving under the influence of alcohol, of which 8 561 tested positive, a 144% increase on the same period last year,” said Transport Minister Barbara Creecy.

The report included the highest speedster, who was arrested in the Northern Cape, where he was clocked at 222km/h in a 120km/h zone.

“Speeding and drunk driving remain the major causes of road accidents. I have spoken today about how we will continue our enforcement and behaviour change operations. But we have to do more,” said Creecy.

She said there are plans to amend Section 65 of the National Road Traffic Act that ‘allows drivers to drink a certain amount and get behind the wheel of a car’.

The minister said this law must be scrapped, stating that it is ‘totally unacceptable that there is a law that allows people to drink and then drive’.

“Our drinking and driving policy was formulated almost 30 years ago,” said Creecy.

“The time has come for us to amend the law so we have a clear-cut, easy to understand, unambiguous policy that says drinking and driving is not allowed.”

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