Dear Editor
The DA in KwaZulu-Natal has received various reports from law enforcement officers regarding an allegedly dire shortage of blood/alcohol testing kits in the province. This as the countdown to the festive season is already in full swing.
It also comes after the province’s so-called top brass – including the Premier, Transport MEC, Sipho Hlomuka and the Mayor of eThekwini – launched KZN’s integrated Festive Season Plan amid much fanfare last Friday.
During the event, the Premier stated that KZN is ready to welcome holiday makers and keep everyone safe during the festive season. She further stated that law enforcement is ready to address road carnage and take a no-nonsense approach to reckless driving.
This is a big statement to make in light of the possible crisis that exists when it comes to ensuring that drunk drivers are held accountable for their actions.
The DA is deeply concerned by the claims. KZN roads are becoming moving gravesites and there is no guarantee that road users will arrive alive at their destinations.
Incidents of drunk driving are at their highest at this time of year which make the allegations – that DoT, RTI and eThekwini Metro do not have sufficient blood-alcohol test kits – even more serious.
This issue demands clarity. In a bid to ensure this, the DA has today submitted a written parliamentary question to the MEC with the following questions.;
• What is the total number of blood/ alcohol kits allocated to Metro Police, SAPS and RTI? Please provide the detailed number per station
• Where there are zero kits listed (see question above) please state the period of time that the SAPS station has not had access to blood / alcohol kits
• Are all SAPS, Metro and RTI officers trained on the use of blood /alcohol kits? If not, why not?
• How many RTI, SAPS and Metro officers are trained to use the kits? And;
• How many drunk drivers have been tested in KZN in the last three years using these kits and how many arrests have been made?
The Premier and MEC Hlomuka need to account and show proof that KZN is indeed ready to deal with this scourge.
Our province is fighting a losing battle against road offenders. The Department needs to commit to a zero tolerance attitude today – and not wait until 15 December 2022 when their festive season plan kicks off.
KZN cannot continue to lose innocent lives due to reckless drivers who break the rules of the road.
Regards
Sharon Hoosen, MPL
DA KZN Spokesperson on Transport
Bumper festive season line-up announced at Rocky Bay Resorts!