Arrests of drunk drivers on the weekend left police in a conundrum.
Where to hold drunk motorists as police holding cells were filled to capacity.
The Road Traffic in the Pietermaritzburg and Kokstad areas arrested 55 motorists drinking under the influence of alcohol.
Police grappling with limited jail cells for drunken drivers
According to the MEC for Transport and Human Settlements in KwaZulu-Natal, Siboniso Duma said: “Critically, there are 26 police stations in the UMgungundlovu district. With our Alufakwa and Zero Tolerance operation in full swing, holding cells in Pietermaritzburg reached full capacity this morning [4 October].”
Duma reminded motorists that those flouting road regulations, who consume alcohol and drive, could be saddled with a criminal record of up to ten years.
“If arrested over a weekend, motorists can be detained for a maximum time of 72hours in the holding cells with hardcore criminals,” he said.
The MEC indicated the need for adequate holding cell space to detain motorists charged with drunk driving.
Drunk drivers cannot be allowed to drive on KwaZulu-Natal’s road networks as they pose a danger to other road users and could kill people, stated Duma.
The Road Traffic Inspectorate nabbed 489 motorists for drunken driving in Pietermaritzburg and surrounding areas since 15 August.
Siboniso assured the RTI team that the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster would work on expanding holding cell space, so drunk drivers may be removed from the roads.
The MEC advised being aware of Section 65 of the National Road Traffic Act 93 of 1996, which outlines the legal limits and prohibitions for driving whilst under the influence of alcohol.
According to the Act, a motorist’s Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) may not exceed 0.05g of alcohol. For a 170-pound man, four drinks in two hours on an empty stomach would reach the 0.05 BAC. While a 137-pound woman would reach the 0.05g BAC limit if she consumed three drinks within two hours on an empty stomach.
