Minster moves to scrap drinking and driving policy

The Minister of Transport has announced plans to amend South Africa’s drinking and driving laws, declaring that any policy which allows motorists to consume alcohol before getting behind the wheel is no longer acceptable. The announcement was made during the release of the 2025/26 Festive Season Road Safety Campaign report.

Presenting the report, the Minister revealed the scale of enforcement conducted over the festive season. A total of 1 632 roadblocks were carried out nationwide, with approximately 1.8 million vehicles stopped and checked. During this period, more than 450 000 traffic fines were issued, while 525 motorists were arrested for excessive speeding.

Law-enforcement operations focused on roadworthiness, driver fitness and licensing. In addition, 173 695 drivers were tested for driving under the influence of alcohol. Of these, 8 561 tested positive — representing a 144 percent increase compared to the same period last year.

The highest alcohol reading was recorded in KwaZulu-Natal, where one motorist tested at fourteen times above the legal alcohol limit. Meanwhile, the most extreme speeding incident occurred in the Northern Cape, where a driver was arrested after being clocked at 222 km/h in a 120 km/h zone. Officers also arrested 89 motorists for attempting to bribe traffic officials to avoid arrest.

Beyond enforcement, the campaign placed strong emphasis on education and awareness. A total of 2 547 physical education and awareness programmes were conducted across the country, including outreach at mass transit departure points, shopping centres and other areas of high public activity. These efforts were supported by extensive awareness campaigns on radio, television and social media platforms.

Encouragingly, preliminary annual statistics indicate a downward trend in road crashes and fatalities. In 2025, a total of 9 674 crashes resulted in 11 418 fatalities, compared to 10 633 crashes and 12 581 fatalities in 2021. Compared to 2024, crashes decreased by 6.4 percent, while fatalities declined by 6.2 percent — the lowest figures recorded in the past five years.

The Minister thanked traffic officers at national, provincial and local government levels, as well as SAPS and emergency services, for their dedication throughout the year. Appreciation was also extended to provincial MECs, municipal MMCs for Transport, traditional authorities, and the organised bus, taxi and trucking sectors, alongside civil society organisations, for their role in reducing road accidents.

Looking ahead, the Department will intensify consistent traffic law enforcement, particularly over weekends and public holidays, and will strengthen education and enforcement initiatives targeting pedestrians. The Minister noted that in towns, cities and rural areas, pedestrians account for roughly half of all road deaths.

Describing road fatalities as “a reason for national shame”, the Minister stressed that deaths on the roads are neither inevitable nor unavoidable. Analysis shows that human behaviour — especially reckless driving — remains the leading cause of road trauma, with speeding and drunk driving the primary contributors.

It was against this backdrop that the Minister confirmed plans to amend Section 65 of the National Road Traffic Act. The current drinking and driving policy, formulated nearly 30 years ago, allows drivers to consume limited amounts of alcohol before driving. The Minister stated that this law must be scrapped in favour of a clear and unambiguous rule: drinking and driving is not allowed.

“If nothing else, we owe this to the memory of the many South Africans who have lost their lives on our roads,” the Minister said.